The Mystic Man’s Daughter
by Phoenix144
Summary: This is a retelling of Tin Man with an added character, Sophia the Mystic Man's daughter. Sent to the other side with DG. When she returns to the O.Z. she finds love with Mr. Cain. Rate M for later Chapters. Please review. Was add again for minor changes.
1. Prolog: Fifteen Years Ago

I do not own or did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine.

The Mystic Man's Daughter

Prologue: Fifteen Years Ago

The Queen and the Mystic Man traveled swiftly along the Old Road in the royal carriage. The only sound was that of wheels on the brick, both wondering if this plain would work. They carried with them, in each of their minds, the most treasured jewels in the O.Z.; their daughters.

The silence in the small carriage had gone on since the journey started to Milltown before dawn. "Father, where are we going? Are we going to save the little wind storm?" The Mystic Man looked at his ten year old daughter knowing that one day she would have all his wisdom. In truth, she was already showing signs that her understanding would go beyond his due to her mother being a seer.

Sophia, the Mystic Man's only child, may have his mind but she had the look of her mother. She had red brown hair and eyes like the sea, always changing with her mood. "Yes Soph, we are going to save the little Gale and you as well. You seem to know too much for one so young. You will help the Queen and me with DG."

The Queen and the Mystic Man sat again in silence regarding everything that must happen. "I must thank you", said the Queen breaking the quiet, "I'm not sure if thanking you is enough. You're giving up your daughter to help DG. I know that they won't understand why now but will when the time is right."

"In truth, it is I who needs to express gratitude. You are saving my daughter from the Sorceress. For that I will be forever grateful." The Queen could only nod, she understood. "DG is only five now, they will grow up together. DG will need your daughter's wisdom when the time comes." The Queen studied Sophia for sometime before making the decision to send her with DG to the Other Side.

"Sophia has your mind. When their memories begin to come back she very well might remember everything before DG. Maybe even more then that if she a seer like her mother." The Mystic Man looked back to the Queen. "I take it then you want to hind both of their memories with magic?" "Yes, it will the only way to be sure that what they remember won't fall into the Sorceress hands should she come into power over the O.Z."

He knew this before he even asked, knew it would be the only way to keep them both safe. He could not help being depressed, in a few minutes his little Soph would not know him. "When will you perform the magic?" "Not until we have reached the nurture units in Milltown. I wanted to give you time to say good bye…" The Queen did not continue she wanted to say to give your daughter a message that he would not forget her but even she was having trouble thinking of some comforting words to give DG.

Not long after this was said they came up to Milltown. The nurture units were already waiting. The Queen and Mystic Man came out of the carriage with DG and Sophia. The Mystic Man tried to take his daughters hand but she reached for DG. "I understand I need to watch out for her now. DG is to be my sister." The Mystic Man smiled as much as he will miss his girl he could not help but be proud.

"Yes, but before you go I would like to walk with you alone." He looked at the Queen asking without words for just another few minutes. She smiled and nodded. "We won't be long." The Mystic Man walked with Sophia away from everyone to a small group of trees. "Will you miss me farther?" "I will miss you more then the waking world. My Sophia, my little Soph."

"You're not just sending me away because I remind you of mother?" This almost broke the Mystic Man's heart hearing this is what she feared. "No, I am sending you away because I want you to be safe and grow up to be the young woman your mother and I always knew you would be. Because I love you." Sophia eyes turned gray, they always turned eye when she was sad. "I know but I'll miss you and what if you need me. What if I can't remember ever again?" "You will, one day you'll come back to the O.Z. and you'll remember everything."

The Mystic Man took his daughter into a fierce hug; he didn't want to let her go. He knew it was time, farther and daughter walked hand in hand back to the group. The Queen was ready for them. "I have given the units their orders. They are raise and love the girls like they were their own and to raise them as sisters." The Queen looked down to her young daughter, "I love you my angel and I will miss you every day until you come home."

Sophia left her fathers side and took DG's hand. The Queen performed the needed magic and both girls fill into a deep sleep. The nurture units each picked up one of the young girls and the Queen called a traveling storm to send them all to the Other Side. In a blink of the eye they were gone.

Both the Mystic Man and the Queen knew they would not see them again until it was time for Princess DG to return. Both hoping they could return soon rather then later.


	2. The Dreams

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine.

Chapter One: The Dreams

Present Day:

Her dreams were a swirl of faces; an older man with a knowing look, a regal woman with lavender eyes, men in long dark coats causing nameless people suffering, a man with blue eyes as clear as the sky. As Sophia slept these images would fly thought her mind. She always felt that she knew the people in her dreams.

These days she didn't get much sleep because of them. She woke and looked at the clock by her and her sister's bed. It was 5:30am, Sophia knew that she wouldn't go back to sleep and saw no point in staying in bed. She moved around the room that she sheared with her sister quietly, not wanting to wake her. Sophia looked at DG sleeping, noticing that she was tossing and turning. DG was having strange dream too.

She left the bedroom, still in her PJ's and went down the kitchen. Her mother was already wide a wake cleaning the house for the day. "Morin Mom, where's Pop's?" "Morning Soph dear, do you want some coffee?" Sophia shook her head no as she sat down at the table. "Pop is out back working. Honey, are you alright? You look like haven't slept in years."

At this Sophia laughed a little, "Sure, nothing abnormal in the least. I've just been having odd dreams. Feels awkward when I sleep, I've had them for the last few months." This made her mother stop working in the kitchen and she sat down with Sophia. "What kind of dreams honey?" "I don't know, fleshes, like memories almost. I see people's faces, I have a feeling…like I've forgotten or know something I shouldn't. Or maybe something I need to remember." Sophia just looked into space for while before continuing.

"I keep seeing a man with blue eyes, he seems sad. I've never meat him before." Mom smiled, "A man? Honey we've had this talk before, its normal for a woman to dream about men. Your twenty-five, you should date more." "Very funny mom, you know what I mean" All at once they heard running above them up stairs. "DG's late again." Mom said under her breath happy to take them off the subject of Sophia's dreams.

Sophia jumped up from the table. "What's wrong?" Mother asked as Sophia made her way out of the kitchen. "DG, I need to warn her…" She came up to the front door right as DG came running down the steps. "DG, I got to tell you…" "Soph I can't right now I'm late for work." the dark haired girl said as she ran out the door to her motorcycle. Sophia stopped trying to follow her sister as she rode off.

"What were you going to tell DG?" she turned back to in the kitchen. "I was trying to tell her not to take the main road into work. I have this feeling that the officer Gulch is just waiting for her to speed by, waiting to give her a ticket." Mom simply nodded, "Lets hope not; it would be the seventh one in two months."

Sophia kissed her mother and went back up stairs to get dressed. While she was dressing into her jeans and shirt Sophia looked at the wall with DG's drawings from their dreams. They were having similar ones, Sophia just didn't know why. 'Why is not the reason, but the question to the reason,' this thought came out of no where. "I need to stop over thinking" she sighed to herself.

She left the house and went into the back in search of her farther. She found him in the tool shed going though his numerous boxes of tools. "Hey pop, anything I can help with?" Sophia's farther looked up from his work, showing a little frustration, "Yes, my skew driver, I can't find it and I need it to fix the turn-bines today." Sophia walked to the back of the shed and opened his red tool box pulling out her father's skew driver.

"Now, how is it that you do that again? I've been out here looking for a better part of an hour, trying to find it" pop said smiling at his daughter."Like everything else, I just know sometimes." "Did DG leave for work?" "Yep, late again too, she'll be getting a ticket today on top of that. Or at least I think she will." "Promise me something Soph." Sophia looked back up to her farther, "Should you very think you know the winning lottery numbers, you'll let your mother and I know first."

"Yeah sure" Sophia said as she walked out of the shed. It was one of her few days off from work with nothing to do and she wanted to benefit from the day. She spent she day walking though the fields and even went the book store in town for a few hours.

As Sophia walked up to the house she should have know that she was coming in at a bad time, DG, their mother and farther were all on the front porch talking. It sounded like she was coming in at the end of the discussing. "Look, I love you guys but I just don't feel at home here. I don't think I ever have." She heard DG saying this as she ran off with pop following after. She knew the feeling that DG had.

Sophia's plan was to slid by unnoticed but nothing gets passed Mom. "She got the ticket. Did you know that she was thinking of leaving?" Here it comes, Sophia thought to herself. "Mom, does it matter? You know that even if DG did leave from home I would never let anything happen to her." "You were planning on leaving together?" Mom looked at Sophia with this look mixed hurt and worry. Sophia thought carefully before answering, "I didn't say that, I said I would protect my little sister."

"I'm sorry Sophia. I know that you'll always be there for you sister. I don't want you to think I'm mad at you but I just don't know where DG gets all these thoughts from. You never seemed to be in a hurry to leave." This is true she thought, "That's because mom, I know I'll leave when the time is right…I just don't know when that will be." She walked passed her mother to go inside the house thinking that maybe she should go out the back way for another walk but the wind was picking up, like a brewing storm.

Sophia headed up to her room and she saw pop was just leaving. "Talk to DG Soph, she seems to listen to you." She entered the room and saw that DG was sitting on her bed. "Let me guess, pop gave you the 'All of life's answers, can be found along the Old Road.' Talk again." Dg looked up and smiled, "Yes, I always feel guilty after that talk." Sophia would agree; she didn't like that talk any more then she did.

"Soph don't you get the feeling that there has to be more in life. I just feel…" "Stuck?" Sophia offered. "DG there is more and it's coming our way, very quickly, in fact. I just don't how or the reason." "I had that dream again last night, I was telling pop about it." Sophia sat down on the bed with her sister and asked, "The one with the woman with lavender eyes or the cave?" "Both, she said that a storm was coming."

This caused Sophia to close her eye, as she did this she saw what looked like a tornado head for the house. She jump and landed on the floor with a bang. DG could help but laugh, Soph was not the must graceful person she knew. "Nice, why don't you just kick me while I'm down here?" DG helped her off the floor; "Sorry" was all she could manage. "What did you see Soph, I know that look of yours. You have it right when you think something is going to happen."

"I'm not sure but do me a favor, sleep in the clothes you wearing now. I have this idea, feeling whatever you want to call it, that we may need to move fast tonight. Whether or not it is to be to the storm cellar…I don't have clue but just do it for my peace of mind." DG nodded that she would do as Sophia asked. It was not that often that Sophia that kind "vision" is what DG always called them but when Sophia got them she listened. If the storm was really coming they would be ready.


	3. The OZ

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine.

Chapter Two: The O.Z.

In the O.Z.:

The Sorceress was worried. There wasn't any more time. She had to have the Emerald. Everything would have been for nothing without it. "I need to see Lylo." The General and her other cohorts all followed her to Lylo's cell. 'I must be sure.' She thought looking at looking at the miserable creature recoil in its cell.

Lylo was taken from his cell with no regard to the Sorceress's the alchemists. He already knew what would happen next. "Peer into the future. Tell me if there is anything that will hinder my plans." He was afraid, "It hurts Lylo to look." He begged. At this Raynz held up his shocker to for Lylo to see, "It will hurt more if you don't." was his answer.

Lylo concentrated trying to see clearly. "Those who resist you will continue to be conquered." he replied. "The Emerald, Lylo. Will I find it in time?" He focused and saw what the Sorceress unmistakably wanted. "Where is it?" she sweetly asked him. "Lylo knows not, but before the eclipse in your hand it will be." It was becoming hard for him to see any further. "Do you see anything that will stand in my way?"

"Lylo see nothing but…"he hesitated and did not continue. "But what?" she demanded, becoming irritated. "Lylo feels…a presence, a glimmer of light in the darkness. Light with wisdom, from the other side. "The other side?" easily taken care of she thought. "General Lonot, awaken a travel storm. Take a small company of men and just slip though to the other side. Find this light with wisdom and extinguish it." She would not let any light, no matter how bright, stand in the way of the darkness.

The Other Side:

Sophia sat in her room watching DG sleep from her bed. The wind had picked up, all she could do it wait. DG was dreaming again, she was moving about the bed. Something big was coming their way. She got up and walked to the window thinking that looking at something other then DG and the wall would help relax her.

Out of no where she mind was screaming, "A storm is coming!" it made her dizzy, she could barely stand up. DG woke at this same time, "Soph! What wrong?" she asked seeing Sophia trying to hold herself up. "Get up DG; we got to get out of here." "In my dream…the woman said the storm was coming."

"I know. I heard her in my head. That's why we need to go. We're in danger here, get moving." DG jumped out of bed to grab her jacket and looked out the window. She'd never remember seeing a tornado this close before. They ran down the stairs as fast as they could. DG was the first to see their father on the floor.

"Dad, are you okay?" she yelled. "No DG. Don't!" Father tied to warn her but it was too late, a large bald man grabbed DG from behind. The General hadn't seen Sophia yet. She took advantage of this and grabbed one of the large framed pictures from the hall and hit man over the back of his head. It was enough of a hit for him to let go of her sister. Their father called to them both and they all ran back up stairs together.

When they made it their room they pushed a dresser down the steps to block the way in. "Pop, who in the hell are they?" Sophia demanded. "Longcoats." He answered. "What are Longcoats?" DG yelled. Mom came up from behind the two girls, "This isn't the way we planed." Sophia looked confused at her mother as her father answered. "I know, but it's our only chance. We'll have to take them there now." The girl's farther was opening the window. "Take us where?" "DG there's no time to explain." Was their response from their mother.

They all climb out the window and onto the roof. The wind was strong; Sophia had never felt a storm like this. "Dad, what are we doing?" DG tried to ask above the sound of the blowing wind. "Trust me. You and Soph have to jump." "What! Why!" Sophia yelled. "The Longcoats are after you and your sister." This was getting to be much for Sophia, "Why are they after us?" Mom answered "Because its time." As she and their farther pushed them both toward the end of the roof. "Time for what?" Sophia insisted. "We can't go into this now just hold onto DG." She did as her mother asked she took her sister into a hug. "Trust us." Was the last thing she heard her father say as he push DG and her into the storm.

All she could do was hold onto DG for dear life. The sound of the wind was the only thing she could hear besides DG's and her own screams. The wind had left and they started to fall and came to ground in a hard hit. She was still holding DG tightly when she passed out.

DG woke before Sophia did. She had a dearth grip on DG. "Soph, wake up. You're holding me to tight, I can't breath." Sophia woke let go of her sister and continued to lay on the ground while DG got up to walk around. "Mom…Dad!" she heard DG calling. She made her way to get off the ground and saw parts of the house around them. "Soph, where are we?" She walked over to DG and saw the sky from the above the line of trees. There were two moons in the sky. 'There's no way this can be good." Sophia thought to herself. "I'm….really not sure, but I think it's safe to say we're not in Kansas anymore."


	4. Escape and Rescue

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine.

Chapter Three: Escape and Rescue

"This can't be real…" Sophia was still staring up at the sky. She'd seemed to think that she has seen the moons before but where? "Soph, maybe we should try to find Mom and Dad." DG had never seen Sophia like this, but then again they've never been push into a storm and landed in place that had two moons. The place was starting to give her a creepy feeling, like someone was watching them. DG turn around to check… no one was here.

"Soph lets go." Sophia finally came back. "You're right, we need to move. We're not alone here." They turned to start walking, DG was worried what Sophia meant in saying not alone. DG picked up a stick for protection and she got the creepy feeling again. She turned around again swinging the stick…still no one there. Sophia took hold of one of DG's hands into her own and taking a stick from the ground for herself in her other. "Come on, Deg."

They didn't walk far; the feeling of eyes on her was too much for DG. "Hello" she called out loudly. "Are you nuts, don't yell." Sophia said looking at here sister. "Why?" "First off, we were pushed into a storm to get away from strange men wanting to do lord know what to us and second…don't you hear those whispers?" DG stopped and listened. Sophia was right; she did hear them coming from…the trees. They didn't have to wait long to see what was making the whispers. They were surrounded by tiny men dressed in feathers.

"What the f…." Sophia started to yell as she put her back to DG's back. "You got to the kidding me." was DG's response. "Watch-full. Be watch-full. I like not their look" they heard one of the tiny men say. One of the little people tried to rush Sophia and DG. DG stopped him with a swing of her stick. "Gaze not into their eyes they for fear they may turn you into a skeree." "Who are you too?" The tiny men were asking, "I'm DG and this is my sister..."

This earned DG an elbow in her back. "Stop talking to the Thanksgiving Parade rejects." Sophia told her sister. "Maybe they can help us find Mom and Dad Soph." "They are surrounding us holding spears. Who are you guys?" Sophia looked down to one of the little people. "We are resistance fighters of the eastern gild." He answered. "Speak not of who we be. We know not of their trickery." Another yelled. "Trickery; our parents are missing! My sister and I are victims of some sort of a natural disaster." DG said back.

"Creatures do not fall from the sky lacking magic." This was getting out of hand Sophia thought to herself, "Magic?" she questioned. She wasn't listening she needed to think of a way out. "They are spies from the sky." The comment brought her back to the here and now. "We are not spies." Sophia stated as she grabbed DG and started moving to get a way, thinking if they moved slowly maybe they would be able to make a run for it. This was a mistake. Net had gotten them both.

"Soph, I don't think you should have called them 'parade rejects'. " DG said to her sister as the turkey people moved the net though the trees to their camp site. Sophia was getting angry. She looked at DG her eyes flashing green. "Don't give me that look…" "Well DG, I didn't see you come up with any ideas. Other then talking off their ears off that is." "Ok, I get it your pissed." DG made up her mind after stating the obvious, to let Sophia have a bit of quiet time, when her eyes were green like that it usually meant she was mad enough to tear a person in half.

They entered the camp of the little people; it looked like the bear things home from "Star Wars" to Sophia, 'What were those things called?' Sophia thought to herself. "Deg I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I know I need to clam down…we need to think of away out of here." "Soph you need to see this, I think their putting us in a birdcage." DG was right whoever, whatever these guys were moved the net right under the cage, and it had a whole on the bottom. "Move to the cage." One of the little people ordered. They climbed into the cage, "Be careful Deg. I'm not sure if they would care if we fell and broke our necks."

"What do you think they are?" DG asked. "I don't know midgets maybe or…" Sophia saw fleshes in her mind, she seen these tiny people before. "Soph, you ok? What is it?" "Munchkin's, they're called Munchkin's" Sophia answered. "How do you know that?" "I don't know but be quiet now; two of them are coming." They both look at the bridge cross from them. "Will Azkadellia attack from the east?" the munchkin demanded. "Who?" DG asked. 'Why does that name sound familiar' Sophia thought to herself. "The Sorceress Azkadellia for whom you both spy. From which direction will her men come; will they walk or will they fly?"

"Fly? What is wrong with you? People can't fly. We don't know what you are talking about and we don't know any Sorceress." Sophia starting to worry that everyone here was crazy. "Where will her men come from." The little man yelled back. "OK, how many times do we have to tell you that nothing you guys have said has made any sense to us?" The munchkins looked the girls studying them. "Maybe they are just girls." He said to the taller one. "Yes, that's right! That's all we are." DG answered.

"Azkadellia has raided most village's looking for the stone. Are we next on her list?" 'These guys just don't give up', Sophia thought. "We don't know anything about a list, but if this is how you treat guest no wonder you have..." DG stopped she saw that one of them were holding her locket. "Please put my sister's locket down, it means a lot to her." Sophia asked when she saw that they had it, the locket must have fallen off DG while they were being carried in the net.

"Our stouts saw these two being pursued by Longcoats on the Old Brick Rout to Central City" the shorter munchkin said. "Or leading the Longcoats there." The other added. "Wait someone saw our parents?" DG asked; she could not keep the hope out of her voice. "You say parents, I say spies." "DG they'll be ok. I promise we'll find them." Sophia came from behind her sister and hugged close to her. "There is one way for us to tell if you two speak truth or lies. Strap one of them to the Flair and they'll talk or die." The small munchkin nodded in agreement. "Warm up the blades." "Squeal as you peel till the truth brings a deal." At this the munchkin dropped DG locket to the floor of the forest.

"You guys are twisted!" Sophia shouted at them as the walked off. "You guys are out of you tiny minds…." DG added in. "Ok DG, now we really need to get the hell out of here." She looked up and saw a man tied to top part of the cage. He was just looking at them. Sophia tapped on DG shoulder and pointed up. Both stood up still looking at him. "What are you doing…."DG questioned. "Up here? The little ANKLE-BITERS thought it would be funny to keep me hanging around. Loosen that rope and I might have the last laugh."

The man looked hopefully at them both. Sophia and DG both hesitated. "Come on dolls, if mom and pop really are on the rout to Central City then you're both falling further and further behind." "DG I don't know he has a zipper on his head." "You know the way?" DG asked him. "Sure, though, it's kind of hard to give directions like this." replied the zipper man. He looked at Sophia and added, "Unless you two have a better offer?"

"Alright, DG help me take the knots out." He smiled as the girls got him down. "What the hell…" DG said when she got a closer look at him. He took offense, "Hey you're not so hot at first glance either Honey." DG just continued to look at him, "What is there a problem?" Sophia decided to save her sister from having to say it. "You're…fly is open." "I was going to say zipper." DG answered. The man showed some relief, "Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to offend." At this he closed the zipper.

"Got to be careful not to lose your marbles" he said laughing to himself." But an…" he continued, "since the Sorceress made her medco's take mine…well you flick the abacus." "Wait they took your brain." Sophia asked, "Is that even possible?" DG looked at the man. "Why would they remove your brain?" He answered "Because of what I know, or use to know…whatever it was." Sophia looked at DG just thinking that maybe letting him go wasn't the best idea.

He seem to sense this feeling and gave a little smile, "Names Glitch, on account of sometimes my synapses don't fire right... sometimes my synapses don't fire right." Both girls laughed a little, "You just said that." DG added. "Did I? There you go, glitching again!" "Great…now we have rain man with us." Sophia said sarcastically. "And here I was thinking that this nightmare could not get any weirder." DG included.

"This isn't a nightmare, this is the O.Z." Glitch informed them. 'O.Z.' again Sophia heard this from somewhere before. "The Outer Zone; use to be a peace of heaven too… until Azkad got her claws into it." "Azkadellia, the Sorceress of darkness, village raider and brain thief." DG recited this like one would a lesson at elementary school. "Okay we got the basics down; we really have to get going you two." Sophia added and right after this the heard the munchkins sounding the alarm, "Longcoasts!"

Both girls look across to the bridge; it didn't look that far way. DG beat Sophia to the punch. She started to clime down the hole on the floor of the cage. "What are you doing?" Glitch asked them "I think we have an idea." Sophia answered. DG was now hanging from the edge of the cage and started to swing the cage and jumped to the bridge, Sophia held her breath while she was still in the air and let it out when DG on was safely on the bridge. "Come both of you, we don't have a lot of time."

Sophia went next, she lowered herself to the edge and started to swing the cage again and made her jump. She almost missed, instead of grabbing the rope of the bridge she just manage to get a hold of the wood of the bridge itself and was hanging off it. "DG, a little help." She called out. DG went to her sister and helped pull her up. Sophia wasn't a big girl by any means but DG couldn't help but wish that while she was pulling Sophia up that she was smaller. While DG was helping Sophia up Glitch had gotten over his fear of a fall and made it to the bridge.

They ran thought the maze of bridges until they came to a rope and climbed as fast as they could to the forest floor. The Longcoats had just started a chainsaw to bring down the munchkins trees. The run thought the forest quietly until they had some distance between then and the working Longcoats. "Alright," Sophia was the first to break the silence, "you said you know the way to Central City, lead the way." "Before we do that I would like an interdiction with you both." Glitch answered. "But you already told us your name was Glitch." Sophia pointed out she was not sure if it would be a good idea to let people they come across their names.

"And your names would be…." DG answered before Sophia could give her words of advice. "I'm DG and this is my sister Soph, Sophia. Sorry." DG added only family calls her Soph. "Well now you know our names, please lead us to Central City. We've got to find our parents." "Be happy to." Glitch looked around just for a moment and started walking. The forest was really beautiful; the trees were tall and there leafs had many colors to them, perhaps Sophia would have noticed it sooner had they not gotten caught by the munchkins.

While they were walking Glitch and DG chatted what seemed like non stop to Sophia. She was thinking about the munchkins, how it was that she knew what they were and why did the O.Z. sounded familiar when Glitch was giving his min lesson. She was starting to think DG was right, maybe this was a nightmare. Sophia had made up her mind to keep that thought to her self. She did not want to frighten DG.

They had been walking for about an hour when Sophia came back into the conversation with DG and Glitch. "You sure you know the way to Central City." DG asked to Glitch. "The shinning city on the hill, sure. The shinning city on the hill sure The shinning city…" DG stopped him, "You're Glitching again." Sophia went back into her own thoughts; she needed to find some answers. She saw that Glitch tripped over a tree stump. "I thought you said you knew the way to the Old Brick Rout." She heard DG ask. 'Oh no' Sophia thought she knew what was coming.

"Sure I do. It's only the main fair-o-way in the O.Z... Why?" "Because that's the same stump you tripped on before." DG gave the answer that no one wanted to hear, they were walking in circles. "No point in getting upset." Sophia said. Both Glitch and DG looked at her, "You hadn't said anything in a while, Soph. Are you alright?" She nodded she would have to tell DG. "I'm fine, I've just been thinking…DG does anything here feel…like you know this place?" DG didn't answer they heard a woman screaming.

"Did you hear that DG?" Sophia asked but she didn't wait for an answer. She ran in the direction of the screams. She hide herself in the tall grass and watched as a group of Longcoats terrorized a family. One man in the group of Longcoats stood out he had dark blond almost brown hair and seem to enjoy not beating the man that two other held in place, a boy and woman too. DG and Glitch came up from behind her "These guys are everywhere." She heard DG say.

"We going to help them, we need a plan Deg." She nodded her agreement and picked up a stick and started to run and swing the stick at the Longcoats. "I said 'we need a plan'" Sophia ran after DG picking up her own stick on the way. When DG got to Longcoats they call disappeared. "What," Sophia called "it wasn't real? It didn't happen?"

Glitch came up the rear, "Oh yes it happened. Here look at this." He walked over and pointed to a fence post a machine in it. "What is it?" DG asked. "It's a TDEHTL. A tri-dimensional energy stored holographic time loop. Nifty little thing... Hey, I think I invented it..." "When did it happen?" Sophia wanted to know. "I'm not sure but they had it playing over again for someone to watch…"

"But no ones here; this place looks like it's been desired for a long time." DG questioned. Sophia saw the suit first, "What is that?" she asked. It made her think of the old iron maidens use in medical times. It has a window in the front but she was too short to look inside, she knocked. Sophia just about jumped out of her skin, when she heard a repealing knock. "DG find some kind of tool we have use to open this thing." "Way ahead of you, Soph."

"I don't think opening that thing is a good idea. You don't know what or who is inside." Glitch argued. "DG what did you find?" Sophia asked DG when she walked back. "A hammer." DG started using the tool to open the suit. The door opened with steal mist. A man was inside; he looked like he wouldn't be able to stand for long. Sophia had moved forward to help him but he fell and his weight was much for her and they landed on the group with him on top of her.

"Oh my god…." Sophia did not finish her thought aloud. Blue eyes…the dream. She wanted to scream….He stopped that thought with a question. "Where are they…" he looked down to her for an answer. "I..I don't know….DG……Glitch…help him up." DG and Glitch came forward and pulled him slowly to his feet. Sophia stayed in the mud he was still staring at her. The silence for more the she could handle. She got up and opened her mouth to speak…no words came out. She didn't trust her voice.

DG saved her this. "What's you name?" she asked DG tried to keep her voice even and clam. "Cain…Wyatt Cain." He pulled away from DG, Cain was still looking at the girl that tried to catch him. "Who are you…all of you?" She still couldn't speak, this time it was Glitch that came answered. "I'm Glitch, this is DG and she is Sophia…they're sisters." "They don't look like….." was his only reply as he walked toward the house.

Ruins; Cain thought to him self. 'Where are they?' was the question in his mind. Cain saw the TDEHTL in the post and walked over to it, with everything he had he pulled the damn machine from the post. "I'm going to kill him…"He started to feel his strength came back to him. He looked back to the people that let him out. "You are welcome to stay and rest…I'm going to clear myself up." He didn't say thank you, he wasn't ready. He started to walk into the house and stopped in the corner of his eye he saw the girl covered in mud. "You can wash you clothes inside…." Again it wasn't a thank you but it was all he could offer.

Sophia nodded and she told DG with a tilt of the head to follow her. "Glitch, stay outside…." She noticed that he was following DG to come in. "Keep an eye out for Longcoats." Before she went in side she grabbed what look like bucket and fill it with water from the lake. Sophia and DG walked into the house. Cain was sitting at the table in the main room. "You can wash in there…." He point to a room to the left. "Thank you…" she was finally able to manage her voice. DG knew something was wrong.

When they entered the room and they door was closed; DG couldn't hold back her questions. "What the matter with you? You've never lost you voice like that…..Did you have one of you visions?" "No I didn't, he….something is wrong with this place I've seen him before." Sophia took off her shift, standing in her jeans and bra only, and started to get the mud out of her shirt with the water. "Before; Where? He does not like anyone from Kansas." "I know that genies….I've seen him in my dreams."

Door to the room flow open, Cain was in the door way. Sophia just stood there looking at him. She felt afraid to move. He walked over to the dresser and took some clothes and shaving tools. He started to walk back out the door both girls not saying a word until the door was closed again. "I don't know what wrong with me." Sophia said more to her self. "I don't either Soph but the next time a strange man walks into a room where you have a bra on only…..you may want to try covering yourself up." Sophia turned; red just realize that DG was right she made no effort at all to cover up. "I'm going to go back outside with Glitch Soph….."

DG walked out of the room, she couldn't believe her big sister. In the space of an hour DG could not believe her once wise beyond her year's sister did not get it. Sophia may not know what's wrong with her now but DG thought she would figure it out soon. The thought was enough to terrify any woman; Mr. Cain was literally the man of her sister's dreams….


	5. The Fields of the Papay

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. Also, please note that I changed Adora from Cain's wife to sister (please don't hate me).

Chapter Four: The Fields of Papay

Cain walked to the lake and started cutting and shaving away his hair. He knew that he should be more grateful to his savers but he needed to get his thoughts in order first. He already made up this mind that once he was cleaned up he would make his way to Central City. He would kill Zero, but not before he found out what happened to his son, Jeb and sister, Adora.

Adora had became his saving grace with Jeb, Cain remember she moved in with him shortly after his wife had passed away. Before he was locked in the suit his wife had only been gone for six months, he was still wearing his wedding ring. Things had been starting to turn around before Zero had come and took it all away. Jeb was starting to be a kid again with Adora's help and now...He would not rest until he found them.

He looked back at the younger girl; she was talking quietly with the man traveling with her and her sister. She was a cute kid with her pale skin, bright blue eyes and dark hair. 'They shouldn't be travel with the likes of him' he thought to himself. He kept cutting his hair off realizing that he should not care who they journeyed with. He had to stay focused but the look on the older girls face when he looked at her came to mind.

The mixed emotions that had crossed her face…he hadn't meant to scare her but the look she gave him; as though she had met him before and it terrified her. Her little sister was cute but she was…with long hair like that shinning red in the light… they shouldn't be traveling with a convict. He would be sure to warn them. He couldn't get into whatever they were doing. The Longcoats were after them, he remembered the older girl, Sophia, ordering the man to keep watch while she and her sister were inside.

Not that he wouldn't enjoy any reason to beat up a couple of Longcoats; he wanted to save all the rage inside him for Zero. He finally got the last of the unwanted hair from his face off. He got up from the lake and saw the younger girl looking at him. "How long were you in there?" DG asked as Cain walked passed. "Since that was a sapling." Cain pointed to the tree as he walked back up to the house.

Sophia was walking outside when he was coming up from the lake, she almost did not recognize him, almost. 'Not bad looking all cleaned up.' Sophia thought to herself. Cain stopped walking when he saw her. They were backing to staring at each other but at least this time she wasn't looking fearful. He turned slightly to DG keeping Sophia in his line of sight. "Much obliged for the help." That was hard for him; he never had to thank anyone before.

"You're welcome Cain." Sophia answered before DG could. He nodded and walk up the house and pulled out a small box from under the house and started going though it. "Do you remember our names?" DG asked "I'm DG and that's my older sister, Sophia and this is…" Cain cut her off "I remember both of your names and I know what he is, a head-case." Sophia walked to stand closer to him. "And a head-case would be….." asking him to explain. "It's what the state does to re-educate criminals. Ripe out their brains, and keep them trapped inside their own heads. Ain't that right, convict?"

"Convict! Oh my god…DG we helped this guy escape…." Glitch came into his own defense, "Whoa, I ain't no convict! And just in case I am, it was a bogus charge, a frame job, I'm sure of it!" Cain wasn't listening, he found his son's small metal house and put into his shirt, next to his heart. He got and up and grabbed his duster coat and hat.

Cain looked at Sophia, "A young woman like you may not want her and her kid sister be going a great distance with that man." "Soph, no we're staying with Glitch!" Sophia looked up at Cain and Glitch and closed her eyes and waited, hoping something would come to her. She was rewarded. A single word echoed in her mind, "safe". "It alright DG, we are. I appreciate your concern but he won't harm us."

The girl was nuts Cain thought to himself,"Well I warned you. I'll see you down the road." "Actually, a road is what we're looking for. The br..." DG started "Brick Route." Glitch added in. "We were headed for Central City Cain. Do you know the way" Sophia asked as she walked to stand in front of him. "Yeah, that was where Zero was headed after... It's where I'm headed now." Relief washed over Sophia….she didn't have to leave him yet. "Good, we're going with you."

Cain shook his head no "No, again much obliged for the help, but I don't travel with kids, or convicts." "My sister and I are not kids. Best learn that now" Cain started walking, she followed with the others behind. "Listen you son a… the people that took your wife and child from you came to our house. We are trying to find our parents" Cain stopped walking and turned around to her, he met angry green eyes. "We could try to work together and find both our parents and your family. Hell! Who knows maybe find Glitch's brain while we are at it."

"My family…is gone. You're parents most likely are too if the Longcoats were after them." She slapped him crossed the face. Cain saw tears move into eyes, threatening to come. "DG, Glitch lets move we're going to find the way ourselves" Sophia declared, she made her point clear by starting to move away from Cain.

Cain was in utter disbelief, he never had a woman hit him before, never seen one so mad. Cain took Sophia by the hand when she tried to walk by making her stop. 'Her skin is so soft' he thought "Look, nothing personal, but look at you. Look who you have traveling with you. At the first sign of trouble you're just gonna cut and run." "Let me go…"Sophia was more then just mad, she was in a murderess rage.

"Mr. Cain, you may want to let Soph go before she really makes up her mind to hurt you. Oh and nothing personal, but when we found you, you were in a tin box! You don't know any of us. Sophia you're right lets just find the way ourselves. Glitch, come on." Cain let go of Sophia and she started to walk off with DG and Glitch. He lost, he knew, he couldn't leave them, he could leave her. "The way? The way leads through the fields of the Papay." Cain said aloud watching them start to walk away. Glitch stopped dead in his tracks, "Pa…Papay?"

"Now what? What are Papay and how bad could they be?" Sophia asked seeing the fear in Glitch's eyes. "Right we're been tossed into a storm, trussed up by lawn gnomes, chased by mad men. Sophia's right how bad can Papays be?" DG added it. Cain walked closer to them not believeing that someone could not know how dangerous Papay's were. "I've seen them gnaw a person in half in thirty seconds. You won't make it without me. Alright, Zipper-head keep your mouth shut, you and the kid stay behind me."

"Why change your mind? Why the sudden change of heart?" Sophia asked as she grabs hold of his hand tightly, she wanted to break it for all the horrible things he said to her. Cain wasn't going to tell her the real reason, she could tell, "Heart has nothing to do with it."

Cain began to walk away from them all, leading the way. It wouldn't be long before the reached the Papay's. The crossed the fields and entered back into the woods. Sophia had managed to catch up with him. "I'm sorry I hit you….but do me favor if your going to say something that callous again in the future… don't say it around DG. This whole thing is bad enough as is without me having to worry that you'll break her heart." "I understand your trying to protect your sister….I'm just…." Cain did not want to go into details. He went into silence hopping she would take a hint.

He wasn't that lucky "Trying to find your wife and son." Sophia finished. "Sister" he corrected "What?"She must have misheard him; she looked back at the wedding ring he was wearing. "My sister and son, my wife passed on many annuals ago. What made you think she was my wife?" he questioned. "Your wedding ring; you're still wearing it. " Sophia looked for a way to change the subject. "How long is it to Central City once we make it past these…Papay things?"

"Half a day maybe more if we don't keep a good pace." He answered and looked down, he saw foot prints. "Wait look." Cain point out the footprints to Sophia and she called DG and Glitch over to have a look. "Two sets of footprints….only a few hours old from the looks of things." "Soph it must be Mom and Dad, if we hurry we may be able to catch up with them." DG said this right before she started to a run. "Kid wait, listen. A little heads up before you loss yours. We are entering into the fields now and there runners hate water, so you'll smell them before you see them. Just keep you noise open. When its time to run you'll know." Glitch looked worried,"My sinuses are flaring" he said.

The entered the fields, the place looked dead. There as no vegetation anywhere not even grass on the ground. The walked quietly. Cain had his hand on his gun. "What's that…?" DG asked as she made her way over to some blue stuff and was reaching out to touch it. "DG don't touch that, you have no idea what it is." Sophia told her sister as she told hold of her. "She's right. That is a per-digestive enzyme the Papay runners use. It tenderizes the meat." Cain warned. "They're meat…." DG just stood there looking at it.

DG looked the other way and saw a large amount all over one of the trees. "Soph, look…." DG point out, they walked to the tree and it looked like something was moving from with in the mold. "Thiers's someone in there. We needed to help them out." Sophia looked at the moving mold; she knew DG was right they had to help. She walked closer to the mold and heard Cain talking, "An advance hunter party must have snared it. We better get out of here before their friends come back." "We just can't leave it here." DG argued. "She right Cain, we can't leave whatever is in that thing any more then we could have left you." Sophia said this hopping that this decision wouldn't come back to haunt her.

"If you take a runners dinner, you best be ready to replace it. Now come on." Cain said this and tried to turn to walk again. "Cain, why don't you loan DG and I your razor" Sophia wasn't asking he knew it when she held out her hand. He was never going to win with this woman; he took out the razor and made a cut into the blue mold.

Sophia looked on as something furry rolled out. Whatever it was it looked like a mix between a lion and a person. It started roaring as it stood. It scared DG who jumped back behind Sophia. Cain looked on unimpressed with the things display. Sophia glared at Cain, telling him without words to clam the person..lion..thing down. Cain rolled his eyes and pulled out his gun pointing it at the lion-man, "Do you want that bad attitude dripping out your ears?" This seemed to make it be quiet at least.

They weren't given any time to ask the lion-man what happened the runners had came upon them and bit Cain in the leg. He yelled out in pain and shot the animal. "Run!" Cain commanded. They all started running; Sophia pushed DG in front of her. She looked back at Cain; he was starting to fall behind, she went back for him. When DG saw this she wanted to go back for her sister, "DG. No! Run I'm right behind you." Sophia yelled making DG go back the way that Glitch and the lion-man was going.

"Cain, come on…" He was trying to shot the on coming papy's. "Leave me…." He told her. "Like hell…come on." She put her arm around him and put some of his weight onto her shoulder and stated to run. The caught up with the other at the end of the cliff. "Jump!" Cain ordered everyone. Glitch looked down the cliff in fear, "The fall might kill us." He said. Sophia shook her head and could not believe he was going to argue at a time like this. "If we jump, we may have a change…the papay won't give us one." Sophia added. The lion-man had jumped off the cliff Cain and Sophia came up from behind DG and Glitch and they jumped off the cliff together out of the sight of the papay.

As they fall Sophia took hold of DG, praying that they would hit the water live. Her prayers where answered, they made it to the water. Sophia pulled DG to the waters surface with her. She saw Glitch and the lion-man but no Cain, she remember his leg. Sophia went back into the water and find him with in seconds trying to kick his way up but the injury to his leg was making it difficult for him. She swam down to him and helped his to get above the surface too. "Soph, don't disappear like that…..I didn't know where you went." DG yelled to her sister, she's already misplaced enough family.

"I'm sorry. Cain's leg, he needed help…look there's some land lets get to it." Cain said nothing while they made their way to land. Sophia had proved him wrong twice in the same day. She came back for him while they were in the field of the papay and now she made sure he made it to land. Once they were all safe, it didn't take long for the chills to set in. "We'll make a fire to dry off its freezing out here." Sophia said to the group then she walked away to look for firewood. "Glitch…" she called back "If you can get a fire started while I get some wood." Glitch did as she asked and got to work.

Sophia walked thought the woods looking for good pieces of sticks to use for the fire. She wasn't alone, Cain followed her. "I want to know who you and your sister really are." Cain continued "People in the O.Z. don't just stick their necks out for people they don't know. Who are you? Is that kid really your sister? You don't look a like." Sophia looked at him, she didn't understand. He was mad, why?

"You know Cain, I don't get you. I really don't. To answer your rude questions; I already told you DG and I names. We don't know how we got here but we're from Kansas and we're looking for our Mom and Dad. I'm sorry that people in this place don't know what the meaning of "do unto others as you would like them to do unto you" but from where I come from if you see someone who needs help, you help them! And finally, yes DG and I are sister's; and sister's don't always have to look the same. We're not twins." Sophia went back to picking up the wood trying to take her mind off Cain.

Cain came up behind Sophia and touched her shoulder, "I'm sorry…." He said, he didn't want to make her angry….he just hadn't meet any caring people in a long time. She turned around and looked into his eyes….'beautiful" she thought 'clear as the sky'. "I accept…thank you" but as she said this he did not take his hand away. He pulled her closer to him, holding her with the one hand on her shoulder and used the other to run up long the side of her face. "So soft…" he said a loud.

Cain looked at her wondering if her lips were the same. He bended his head forward thinking to appease his curiosity; he kissed her, only briefly. He was right they were supple and sweet. Kiss only lasted for less then second but he knew something that wonderful could be addicting. Sophia closed her eyes for the second the kiss lasted. She opened them widely looking at Cain for an answer. Her eyes had turned blue-green. She was going to ask why he kissed her but she heard Glitch coming up to them. Sophia backed away from Cain out of his reach; she could feel her face turning red with embarrassment. "What is it Glitch?" she called out.

"I wanted to let you know I got the fire going but we still need some firewood." Sophia nodded to him. "Sophia, why don't you go back to the fire with Glitch? I'll get the wood." Cain offered and Sophia thought it best to do so. She needed to think. Sophia walked back to fire with Glitch leaving Cain a lone to do his own thinking. He didn't know why he kissed her but it seemed….like the right thing to do. He couldn't get involved with her. Beside the fact that he had to have Zero taken care of, she seemed innocent. 'Lord I hope that wasn't her first kiss." he thought it himself.

The look she gave him…her eyes. Cain just realized they must change color with her mood. He made a note to ask DG what blue-green normally meant when the opportunity came. He remembers they were green when she slapped him. Sophia didn't know it but she was messing up Cain plans….and he didn't know if she wanted her to stop.

Cain came back to the small fire with the wood. He just saw the lion-man grab DG. Cain pulled out his gun, "Stay right there." He warned him. "Its ok, we're all friends here" DG answered back letting Cain know that she was alright. The lion-man continued to hold onto DG hand. "You are sad…" he said to her. "Miss your mother and farther. They miss you…." The lion-man let go of DG. Sophia watched the scene, 'how did he know that.' She wondered. "My name's DG, what's yours?" Sophia heard DG ask the lion-man. He picked up a stick and wrote his name on the ground, his name is Raw.

"Raw, well it's to the point." Glitch said. DG saw an opened wound on Raw's head. "He's a viewer." Cain added as he walked back to fire. Sophia looked at Cain, confused, "What's a Viewer." "Viewers are like physic but that see with their hearts in place of the mind." Glitch had given the explanation. "Soph, he could be a big help to us." DG said as she walked over to her sister. "Listen kid, I know you and your sister come from a place called Kansas, I don't have a clue where that is, but if you two want to make in the O.Z. don't trust anyone." Cain said the last part while looking at Sophia. In his own way he was warning her. Cain turned to put the wood he collected down and got a sharp pain in this leg.

"I forgot your leg." Sophia said she started to walk over to help him with it. Sophia with DG's help turned him around to sit on the log; Raw had walked over to them. Without any warning Raw placed his hand onto Cain injured leg. Cain gave a small howl of pain; Raw's eyes were closed…like he was listening to something. "Brave man... good man... Tin Man..." 'Tin Man' why did that sound familiar Sophia wondered. A flash of the man from her dreams with a knowing look came to mind.

"Oh, I might have known you were a Tin Man, with that attitude!" Glitch had partly yelled. "What's a Tin Man" DG asked him. "It's what they call police in Central City." Glitch explained. "They're like cops DG." Sophia added. Cain looked up at her. "I was until Zero find out I was part of the resistance, you'll saw what happened next." Cain looked over to Raw and continued "Thanks."

"We best be starting off soon; I find part of you parents trail going into the west. The Brick Rout isn't far either; we can take it the rest of the way to Central City." Cain got up and started walking away. They put the fire out and the group followed. It wasn't long before they came to the Old Brick Rout. And it did look old in Sophia's opinion, bricks were missing and grass was growing in between some of the bricks. It didn't matter she thought at least they finally made it to the road and could really start to make their way to mom and dad. Sophia thought that things were starting to look brighter for them.

None of them saw the mobat watching……


	6. The Old Road to Central City

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine.

Chapter Five: The Old Road to Central City

The Sorceress Tower:

Zora never failed the Sorceress. She waited on her balcony for her to return with a report. She didn't believe it when Zero brought back the locket and then confronting "mother" about DG being back in the O.Z. The Queen said there was no plan but then why did she have the future wisdom of Outer Zone with her. She needed to find them; find out what they know.

She saw Zora in the sky; she returned with a plant, it came from the fields of the papay. ""Good work my Zora. I knew my oldest friend would not fail me." She gave the mobat a treat for a job well done, Zero had already been summoned. "They're near the fields of the papay" he already knew what to do.

The Old Road:

The group's progress was beginning to slow. They had been walking for what seemed like hours. At least it felt like that for Sophia, she been lost in her own thoughts since they started on the Brick Rout. All of her thoughts were on Cain and his damned mixed signals. First he kisses her and then warns DG and her not to trust anyone, 'was that meant to include him' she wondered. She couldn't believe how stupid she was to let that happen, she should have known what was going to happen when he touched her face. She was tired; she wasn't thinking straight it was not her fault…it was his.

"How about a pit stop Cain?" she heard Glitch asked ahead of the group. "No time" was his response "Oh come on tin man; have a heart. I'm a thinker and a hiker." Sophia agreed with Glitch; it was time to stop, DG was starting to look a little frayed. "Yeah, I think we could all use a rest." DG put in. Cain didn't look happy but Sophia didn't really care at this point, everyone was tired. They stopped on the road.

Sophia watched Glitch as he walked over to a road maker to lean on for support. The Marker was just a stone with carvings on it, 'wait a sec that looks familar' she thought to herself and then she realized it looked like the one from DG's drawings. "Oh my… DG, take a look at that." Sophia pointed to the marker. "DG, our dreams…..it's just like the one from your pictures." DG and Sophia looked at each other. "All of life's answers can be find a long the old road." DG quoted. "Dad's lessons Deg."

Cain looked back to the sisters, "Did you just say 'old road'? That's what the locals call the Brick Rout." Cain turned to Sophia and asked "I thought you said you and your sister weren't from around here." "We're not but…we've dreamed of this place and I seen…."she stopped herself; she almost told Cain that she seen him in her dreams too. " Soph is right we haven't been here before but we know this place…" DG took off into a run and Sophia was right behind her. The rest group followed.

They both knew where to go…just knew. They went off the Brick Road and came up to a sign, looked like an advertisement. The sign said "Milltown". Sophia looked at the sign, mom and dad's home town. "Deg dad's stories….." "I know Soph, our parents were from here." Sophia looked back to the group, "We need to go into town….maybe we'll be able to find our parents." This being said Sophia took hold of DG's hand and they started to walk into town. Milltown looked like a ghost town to Sophia. Almost like the kind you see in the old west.

DG and Sophia just kept walking not listening to what the others were saying; they were hopefully about to find their parents. Sophia heard Cain yell out to them and she and DG turned around. Glitch just kept repeating "We're just passing thought…" Sophia turned back to the town and saw that people….wait some of them looked like they had mechanical parts. They weren't people…they're robots. DG and Sophia held up there hands hoping to show that they meant not harm. For good measure Sophia pushed DG behind her, to keep her safe.

To the side of them one of the doors to a building opened and a floating man…robot, Sophia corrected herself, came out. The bottom half of him was shaped like a beehive. "Start the fire…Azkadellia intruders must be made on example of." he yelled. "What the hell….why is it we are always mistaken for being her spies." Sophia asked aloud "Yeah we don't even know this Azkadelli person." Was all DG could say in their defense. "The two of you that spoke…your voice patterns, are familiar…what you're names?" the beehive robot asked. "I'm Sophia and this is my sister DG. We haven't been here before so I have no idea why you would know our voices."

"Girls don't let him confuse y'all; he's just a crazy old cyber." Sophia turned to the voice it was dad...relief washed over Sophia. They find them; she and DG ran up to them and gave both parents a tight hug. "We were so afraid that we wouldn't find you…" was all Sophia could say. Now all they had to do was make it back to Kansas she thought. "Are you both ok?" DG asked. "Everything will be alright now that your both here girls."Mom said as she took them back into a hug.

"This is you're and dad's home…I just can't believe it." DG said as she let go of her parents to have a look at them. Sophia stopped smiling…flashes from her dreams were coming back to her. The man with the knowing look… the lavender eyed woman. Kansas was never home…she started to back away from her family. "Sophia honey..."she heard her mother say. DG looked back to Sophia now. DG was worried; Sophia had that same look from right before the storm happened. "We're going to explain…" their farther said seeing Sophia back further away from him. "Explain what…" DG asked as she went to hold Sophia, she looked like she would fall at any time. "Well, you know how you said yourself DG; that you and Sophia never felt at home back in Kansas, like you were out of place. Well that's because y'all are from here." DG smiled that wasn't too bad but then why was Sophia…"The dreams you both have been having….DG the woman's voice, it's your mother." "It's your voice?" DG asked. "No; your real mothers voice."DG didn't believe it and now she felt like she wanted to fall over.

DG let go of Sophia and she started to fall. Before she hit the ground Cain took hold of her. She was in shock, but the images just kept going thought her mind. Like a flood gate was open. "I need to sit down" she said. Cain took her over to a log within the sight of the town around a small group of trees. She looked around and memory came to her with the knowing looking man –"You're not just sending me away because I remind you of mother? No, I am sending you away because I want you to be safe and grow up to be the young woman your mother and I always knew you would be. Because I love you." –

"They're not my parents…" Sophia didn't know what to do or what to think. She looked up at Cain, her eyes had turned gray. "What am I to do?" she asked to herself; she was not expecting an answer. "Listen to what they have to say." It was the only bit advice who could offer. He saw that DG and her 'parents' were walking up and he knew that he needed to give them all some time to talk. He put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze and made the short walk back into town.

"Soph, we thought we could all talk for a spell." Her once farther had said then they came up. DG and their mother sat down on the log with Sophia. She nodded in agreement but Sophia had a feeling she knew what was coming. "We are series 1487, nurture units." The mother robot just came out with. "I'm sorry 'nurture units'?" DG asked. "Deg they are robots…at least it wasn't a fair take from the truth when I called you 'parental units' as a teenager….." The Dad robot smiled at Sophia when she said this, she always had a sense of humor. "We were giving special protocols to love and protect you both like you were our own. "he added it to the mother robots explanation.

"Aragh, our life is a lie Sophia, can you believe this!" "Deg please clam down, I think that there is more that mom and dad….that they want to tell us." The mom robot came into "It wasn't a lie to us. We cared for you both like y'all were our own, but our deeper purpose was to tell you and you sister the stories of our world; to make to both ready for the return." The shock was starting to wear off Sophia. "We're from here Deg. Your real mother is the woman from you dreams and that means that my real farther…is the man." Sophia somehow knew what the truth was… she said it a loud, "We're not really sisters, are we?" Sophia looked up to the nurture units waiting for the answer.

"I'm sorry girls. I know how heard this is to take in; our finale task was to bring you both here to Farther View. He'll be able to tell you how to find your real mother DG and you farther Soph."Sophia looked up to DG she saw her eyes water; she got up and took DG into a hug. "It doesn't matter what they say Deg. I'm still your big sister…I'm still going to take care of you" Dg started crying, she hadn't done that since they were little. "Can you both give us a sometime alone before we go see Farther View?" Sophia asked the units they seem to understand that the girls needed sometime and walked back to town, they stayed within Sophia's sight.

"We're going to be alright DG. I meant what I said. I'm not going to leave you." "Did you know; you always seem to know things?" DG looked Sophia in the eye when she asked the question; DG's eyes were bright red from the tears. "No. I didn't. Everything just started coming to me right after we find them. I don't even understand why something's come to me like that." "What do we do Soph? What happens now?" "We listen to what this Farther View has to say and then we go look for our parents. We stay together." DG nodded it was comforting to know that Sophia would not leave her. "I love ya, Soph." "I love you too Deg. Come lets go hear what they can tell us."

They walked back to the town. As they did Cain walked up to the girls. "What happened?" Sophia stopped walking and looked to Cain. She nodded her head to DG to go to their parental units. She waited to speak until DG was far enough way to not hear them. "We're going to talk to a person...robot by the name of Farther View. He's going to tell us where we can find our real parents." She sounded calm, like she was just telling someone the time of day, Cain knew better. Just the color of her eye's told him that. They were back to being green. "Looks like you were right Cain….we don't look alike….we're not sisters." She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice. She knew that it wasn't his fault but she couldn't help it. Sophia knew herself enough to know that now was the time to be angry and walked away before she said something that she would regret later. She walked to meet back with DG.

Their 'parents' took them into what looked like a shed where they beehive shaped robot was waiting. "Fifteen annuals past" Farther View stated saying "Milltown was the jewel of the O.Z. During that time a man with a beautiful woman in a dark cloak came to me. The woman sprit was full of dread; she just lost her husband and she feared losing her child too. A girl child she called DG." From the center of the robot came out small white plates and they played like some video. Showing images of DG as a small child with the woman with lavender eyes; all DG could do was watch the images move. "She was so weak and tired but she was not a lone. A man was with her along with his child, Sophia. They were both worried that we would be discovered…"

"What were the afraid of?" Sophia asked "That we would be discovered of saving you both." Farther View answered, he looked back to DG and continued "Your mother tasked me to give you something on your return." The robot took DG's hand and held out what could be taken as a stamp over it. Leaving a marking that looked like an eye within a circle. "She wants it to guide you on your journey, let it connect you to the light; let it connect it you her." "What about my farther?" Sophia asked but before Farther View could answer Cain barged into the room.

"Longcoats are coming; we're running out of time." He warned. "Where can I find my mother?" DG asked the robot. "I know not but the key to finding your mother is her farther; he holds all the answers. He is a man in the Central City. He's smart, magical, and powerful; some even say that he is a wizard." Sophia and DG looked at the robot hopping for more information to go but Cain was the one who gave it. "The Mystic Man?" Cain question the robot, "Yes"

"Wait you know my farther?" Sophia asked him."I worked his protection detail for a time. He's a good man; come on both of you." Cain garbed both girls and headed for the door DG stopped in front of their parents "Come with us" she asked them. "We can't our place is here, but we are so proud of you both" their farther said and gave both girls a hug "Take care of each other." He ordered. "DG Sophia we have to go." Cain said as he left the room. They made it out the back door and into the woods. Cain looking back to the town…Zero was there but he would have to wait to get his revenge for his family.

They walked with Cain leading the way in front of the group; Sophia couldn't hear the Longcoats anymore. She was more confused then before, she was so into her thoughts she didn't hear Cain fall back with her. Cain had pointed the direction and was having Glitch lead for a while. "You need to get your head straight." Sophia heard Cain and she snapped her head up to look at him. "Excuse me, my head on straight! I hang back for a few minutes just to collect my thoughts and I need to get my head on straight. You mother…" Sophia was glaring at him; she was hoping that her eyes could burn a whole into his head.

"Good you're mad…I'd rather have you mad then feeling..." Cain stopped talking part of him knew what he was about to say would make sound like a cad. But he wanted her to be ready it wouldn't be long before they reach Central City and he had Zero to deal with and couldn't stay with her and DG. He didn't want to think about that, something in him didn't want to let her out of his sight but he promises to keep.

"Yes I'm mad Cain. First off you kiss me, then you tell DG and to trust anyone and on top of everything else I find out that my parents aren't my parents and….its just not fair…." Sophia needed to stop it wasn't Cain's fault. She just wished that it was. "I'm sorry you're right it's just…I don't think I can handle this…my farther Mystic Man…" she wasn't going to complain; she shook her head and started walking faster. She needed to get away from Cain, all be did was puzzle her more. Well she thought to herself it could always be worse. If she had only known the truth in that statement.


	7. Complications

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I am sorry for the delay in updating; I'm trying to take my time more with the chapters. Hopefully this will help with typos (please feel free to let me know if there if any improvement) and make for a better story.

Chapter Six: Complications

Cain watched Sophia walk away from him; he was glad for it. The conversation had started to turn an awkward direction. He was worried that she was going to ask questions that he didn't have the answers too; or at least ones he didn't want to admit to himself. 'Damn' he thought, he was starting to care about her…and to boot now he knows who she is. He felt this need to protect her.

Cain didn't understand what was going between him and Sophia. He shouldn't be having these thoughts about her. The Mystic Man's child; he hadn't remembered her name. It had been at least fifteen years since he had seen her, assuming that his memory was correct. Even then it was only once that Cain saw her. He'd just started with the Tin Men; he was a young man then, when he was assigned to protect the Mystic Man. Cain remembered he was reporting for the first time when Sophia had ran into him, literally.

He remembered clearly that she had hit him in the one place that no man ever wants to be hit. Sophia had been running and playing with her farther and wasn't paying attention. Cain recalled the look on Sophia's young face when she first looked up at him; it was the same as when she'd let him out of that suit. Sophia couldn't have been older than ten or so. Her father had apologized for her manners and then sent her to room to finish getting ready for what Cain didn't know. That was the last he had seen of her.

The next day she was gone and he never saw again. When Cain inquired on how she was doing and where she was. The Mystic Man had said she was guiding a little storm and never said anything else. Cain had assumed due to her age that Sophia had been sent off to school; but shortly after Sophia had left the O.Z. started going south. He had been lucky for many years before Zero had put him that suit. Cain shook his head, now he was the one that needed to get his head on straight. He needed to stop thinking about Sophia. Cain quickened his walking pace and took over the lead again.

"I wonder why my mother abandoned me." DG said she had directed the question to Sophia but Raw answered."Maybe not her fault she was weak…maybe sick." "That doesn't explain Soph's father. Why did he leave her?" Sophia thought about this and she didn't know either but part of her believed it was because she needed to help DG. "I don't know the answers Deg about my father. When it comes to your mother maybe Raw's right she might not had a choice. If she was as weak as that robot said she could be sick." As Sophia said this she wished she hadn't, DG now looked worried.

"Oh DG, I didn't mean it like I know she's sick. It could be one of many other explanations." "I'm with Soph" Glitch added, "I'm sure she's fine; probably waiting somewhere for DG with a warm cup mubglug." DG and Sophia looked at Glitch, whatever that mubglug was it didn't sound good. "It's a soup; something wonderful from my world." Glitch continued. "Let's pick up the pace. I want some space between us and the Longcoats before sundown." Cain added to get the group moving again.

Sophia just didn't understand Cain. She was madder about the fact that she couldn't stop thinking about him. He was handsome, she admitted. With those clear blue eyes even the fact the he was only a head or so taller than Sophia made Cain appealing to her. Sophia was disgusted with herself, with everything that was happening most of her thoughts were on Cain. What made it worse was that Sophia was sure that she didn't like him, but that didn't make Cain any less good-looking.

She tried to speed up her walking pace to keep up with the group and Glitch started babbling again. "You know Cain I understand why you're afraid of the dark. Probably from being locked up for all those years; but come on relax. It's a beautiful day, there's a rainbow in the sky and we're nearly at the pot of gold….wait for me." Glitch notice that he was falling behind the group.

Sophia liked Glitch but at times she wished he wouldn't talk so much. For a man that had no memory of his self he talked a lot. He now seemed to wanting to psycho analyzes, and Cain was his target. It made her think that it was maybe Glitch's hobby in his former life. "We're not in Central City yet" Cain said again trying to get everyone focused on getting to their destination.

"You know what you problem is Cain? You're always fighting the tide. Always making yes a no; and good a bad." As much as Sophia wished Glitch would shut up, she thought that Glitch was partly right. From what she knew about Cain and granted she didn't know much, she found he was as stubborn as a mule. 'Now would be a good time to stop talking while you're a head Glitch' Sophia thought to herself. "I've been thinking…." Sophia had hoped for too much as Glitch continued. "If Mystic Man really does have all the answers then maybe after his helped DG find her mom; he can help me refill my noggin. Give Raw here some spine and maybe do something for you and your lousy attitude." Glitch really didn't know when to quit.

"Glitch, please don't," Sophia didn't even know what to say to him; what to ask him. Glitch was making many assumptions about her father and she wasn't sure if he was being serious or just trying to annoy Cain. Cain looked to Sophia; he noticed she had that look of 'I'm not going to say what I'm thinking so to keep the peace.' He believed this to be a universal look for women. "Well maybe he can put a zipper where it can do some good." Sophia smiled a little when Cain said this, at least they agreed on one thing.

While Glitch had been running his gums Sophia had not notice that they had left the forest and came into a small valley. Sophia saw the city in the distance. "Wow its really …picturesque would be the best word." Cain looked to Sophia he wondered if she always did that, find the brighter side of things. Notice the beauty in life. He didn't want to disappoint her by saying that they wouldn't be staying in the valley for long, they couldn't risk being out in the open.

Lucky for him she already knew, "We won't be out here for long will we? I don't like the fact that there really aren't any places to hide if it's needed." "No, we're going back into the wood at the end of the valley. After the woods we should come up to the entrance on Central City." Sophia nodded to Cain. "After we enter the woods how long until we reach the city?" "If we keep a good pace; a few hours."

The group continued to walk in silence until they came into the woods. As they were walking Sophia was trying to work up her nerve to talk to Cain again. She wanted to ask some questions about her father. He would be the best person to ask; he worked for Mystic Man. 'What kind of title is that' she wondered. What was his occupation? He must be important to have people protecting him. She had hopped like most things that it would just come to her in a flash; but nothing came.

Sophia noticed that Cain started walking a few feet ahead of their make shift troop again and decided now was as good of time as any. She made a short run to catch up with Cain and quickly looked back to DG; sending a look to her let her know she wanted to speak with Cain alone. "I need to ask you some questions Cain." She did look him in the eye; Sophia kept her head looking straight ahead. She figured that if she didn't look at him that maybe she wouldn't get distracted by the man's charms. Cain looked sideways at Sophia he wonder what was going though her head now. Part of him thought that no good could come from continuing to converse with Sophia.

Cain remembered the entirely too short kiss they shared; he was remembering how soft she felt. "Ask" his tone was hard when he spoke. He couldn't help that but he thought it best to keep his responses simple. "What can you tell me about my father?" she still wasn't meeting his eyes. "I don't have any memories….and I want to find out what I can." Cain took another sideways look at her, he was at least thankful that she only asking about her father. "I worked with him for a good number of years before Zero put me the suit. He's a good man." "What does he do and why is he called the Mystic Man?"

"He's an adviser of sorts to the royal family and governs Central City. He holds the wisdom of not just of O.Z. but some say the universe beyond. The Mystic Man was what the people started calling him and he never corrected them. His formal title is the Wisdom of the O.Z." Cain watched Sophia as she tried to take everything in. He continued "In the whole history of the O.Z. there has always been one person, one man really, who has this understanding of the O.Z.; and since you're his daughter… that makes you next in line."

"Wait, next in line for what? Wisdom; and I thought you just said it was a man who had this… understanding? How is that even going too happened when I have no memories or knowledge of this world?" Sophia asked. "That I don't know; you'll have to ask your father these questions. I was just a Tin Man; my job was to protect not to gain answers about the mysteries of the O.Z." Sophia started to think it was a mistake to ask Cain these questions; maybe it was best that she not know for the time being. She started to slow her walking pace to fall back with the rest of the group.

Cain did the same and took hold of Sophia's hand; he knew that he shouldn't but with the look on her face, he needed to make sure they were on the same page on a few things. He made Sophia stop walking and he looked over to Glitch, "Keep walking this direction until we reach the Brick Rout again." He ordered to Glitch. Cain waited until everyone had passed them he noticed that Sophia wasn't looking him in the eye still, she was keeping her head down.

"Soph…." he started "I can't begin to understand what you and DG are going through but I need to make something clear." Cain took hold of her chin and made her look him in the eye. "Whatever is going on between us I need you understand…this can't get…I can't get involved. I'm not a Tin Man anymore. Once we reach Central City you'll get to your farther and he'll help you and DG. I still have to go after Zero."

Sophia looked up to him; she decided that she hated him. Cain saw her eyes flash green in anger. "Us? Don't you worry Wyatt," Sophia stressed his name, he had some nerve using her nickname, "There is no us, so you don't need to worry about me falling to peaces when we reach Central City. I can take care of both myself and DG. I'm sorry I even bothered to ask you about my farther. Oh and for the record; just because you are a good looking man does not automatically mean there would be anything between you and I. You, Cain are the most contrary, stubborn, confusing man I've ever had the misfortune of dreaming about…." Sophia stopped herself.

She needed to get away from him. She understood why she was so mad; it was because she knew that Cain was right. There was an attraction between them and he was only being honest with her. Sophia started to walk away from Cain; he stopped her and turned her back to him. Cain looked into Sophia eyes; he seemed to searching for an answer. Against his better judgment he moved forward and took Sophia's chin into his hand. "You dreamed of me…." It was a question that did not receive an answer. He kissed her, but it wasn't a soft fleeting moment like the first one.

Cain had not given her time to realize that he going to kiss her; didn't give her a chance to pull away either. His mouth claimed hers. He was demanding, he thought to end this attraction with this one kiss. He should have known better. Her lips were still as soft and sweet as he remembered. She returned his kiss; Cain growled low in his throat. He needed more of her. He used his hand to apply a little pressed to open her mouth to him.

When she complied Cain swept his tongue inside to mate with hers. Sophia did try to pull away but only briefest of seconds, but stopped. She couldn't make herself pull from him. She rubbed her tongue against his mimicking his movements while she wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him. Sophia had never felt a need like this before, never felt such passion. She wanted more.

When Cain heard her whimper he knew it was time to stop, but damn she tasted good. He pulled away from the kiss and rested his head on hers. Both were trying to calm there heart beat. Cain felt his own heart was going to beat right out of his chest. He heard Sophia's hard breathing; he smiled with male satisfaction. At least he was not the only one affected by the kiss. He knew that his plan to end this between had back fired, he wanted more of her. "You really know how to complicate things…" Cain said while he was trying to recover from the kiss.

It was like a having an ice water hurled onto Sophia. Her cheeks turned red from embarrassment; how could she have acted that way. "I'm sorry…." Was all her could manage, and with that she ran to catch up this the others. Cain watched her run away, he wasn't going to stop her; he needed to get his thoughts in order.

Like it or not Sophia had complicated things for him. He was still going after Zero but he had made one important decision. He would find away to come back for her.


	8. Central City

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I am sorry for the delay in updating; I'm trying to take my time more with the chapters. Hopefully this will help with typos (please feel free to let me know if there if any improvement) and make for a better story. I would also like to thank everyone for the reviews!!!!

Chapter Seven: Central City 

Sophia couldn't believe the kiss had happened; she was embarrassed with the way she responded to Cain. It was the best kiss she'd ever had; it was the first kiss she'd had that so consuming. Sophia continued to run until she got far enough away from Cain before she slowed to a walk; she wasn't ready to be with the group yet. She knew she face was still red and she really didn't want to explain everything to DG.

This was all Cain's fault and she was trying figure out how she was the one complicating issues. He kissed her. Sophia remembered that much very clearly. Her dreams did not prepare her for this; they were "safe" dreams. They never touched each other and most of the time she would just see flashes of his eyes. She needed to find her father and get as far away from Cain as possible. Sophia knew that she was lying to herself, she didn't want to get away from him….she wanted more of him, to be with him. This thought terrified her; she'd never wanted anyone before.

"Soph, are you ok?" Sophia looked back up, she had been so into her thoughts that she didn't notice DG falling back to walk with her. "I'm fine Deg. The sooner we get to the city the better." DG looked at Sophia and knew better then to take her word for it. Something had her cage rattled; DG looked behind her at Cain some feet away and saw a similar look on his face. She knew right then it wasn't something that was brothering Sophia but someone.

DG smiled to herself and decided to test the waters. "Cain is a good looking man…and your…well you're older then me. Maybe once we've gotten everything cleared up you and Cain can well…you know." "DG, listen there is nothing going on between Cain and I. There won't be a relationship now or ever." "I see…well, I was just thinking that it wouldn't be bad thing if there was, it's not like you dated back in Kansas Soph." "Oh my god, can we please not have this conversation now? Just because we kissed…" Sophia stopped herself she couldn't believe she'd just let the cat out of the bad.

"I knew it, you like him!!!" "Deg, please don't make a big deal of this. It was just one, no two kisses and once we get to the city he's leaving…I just can't get attached." Sophia didn't want to continue talking to DG about this. She didn't think DG would understand pulse the thought of Cain leaving was increasing harder to bear. Fortunately Glitch and his big mouth had saved her. "Look the Brick Rout, the city can't be far away." Glitch yelled. With this everyone stated a short run to get out of forest and on the road.

"There is it." Glitch yelled once they were on the road. Sophia didn't think it was heard to miss, the buildings were so tall and it was surrounded but a light colored brick wall; it wasn't the prettiest view. "Shinning City of the hill is starting to tarnish." Sophia heard Cain say behind her, she didn't look back at him. She wasn't ready to face him after the way she embarrassed herself.

Sophia watched as an old looking 30's looking truck came up to the gates of Central City. The men that were getting out looked like the ones that has been following them, "Guy's, I think we have a problem. The people getting out of that car; they look like those Longcoat's" "This isn't going nearly as well as I thought it would." Was Glitch's reply to Sophia; it just kept getting better and better she thought to herself.

"Look." Sophia turned her head and saw Raw point board. It had her and DG's pictures on it. With "wanted" in nice big red letters. "How in the Hell did they get our pictures?" Sophia did expect an answer. Raw continued to read, "Looking for resisters." "Soph, this is a nightmare. What are we going to do now?" "I don't know Deg; we'll think of something and find a way in."

Cain came up from behind them both and ripped off their pictures. "We're going to need some help." As Cain said this he balled up the paper and threw it away. He knew they needed a plan, at first thinking it may be best to wait to sneak in after it was dark; a better plan starting coming to him in all its multi-color glory. "I don't believe it…." Cain would recognize that van from anywhere….maybe there luck was finally turning.

He walked into road and stopped the vehicle the only way he knew how; he didn't move. Sophia thought that van wasn't going to stop at all and just run Cain over; but sure enough with one good hit on its hood from Cain it came to full stop on the road. The lady driving it gave the horn a few good blows to show her irritation.

Cain just looked as thou he didn't care; he knew all he had to do was wait. He did have to for long before a funny looking man came out of the side of the van. "Hey you! In the stupid hat!" Sophia heard him yell to Cain. "Move will you, I have commerce to commence here." Sophia thought that Cain looked bored he just kept looking down and slowly moved his head up for the other man to see.

The engine to the van turned off, and Cain started to walk over to the man. "Wyatt Freaking Cain…I thought they were pissing on your grave." "I see you're moving up in the world. How is the sleaze business Demilo?" Sophia heard Cain response as she and everyone else made there way closer to the van. "Since you've been gone business is booming. Now if you don't mind I'm working here, alright."

Cain continued to walk up to Demilo as casually as if he were to ask for the time of day. When he reached him Cain grabbed him by his shirt pulling Demilo out of the door of the van, Cain closed the door while pulling him out, and slammed Demilo into the side of the van. "So am I." Cain calmly said. "Hey! You're not sporting tin no more. So leave go me before I call over the nice Longcoats from there and request that they bloody your person!" Cain responded by hitting Demilo up against the van again. "Who needs tin where you have a picture of a certain little man playing bed sheet bingo with Zero's first wife?"

Sophia couldn't help but smile, Cain really had a way of convincing people. After the comment was made about Zero's wife the side of the van opened up and two dark haired girls came into view leaning on the ledge of van. They looked like twins to Sophia. "What? Cain, me and Mrs. Z we, we were just joking around that's all." Cain pushed Demilo up against the van again. "Oh really; why don't I go ask Zero and see if he thinks it funny?"

Cain started to let go of Demilo and move away from him. "Wow!" Demilo yelled as he pulled Cain back to him, letting himself get hit against the van again. Demilo knew it would be better to deal with Cain then Zero any day. "No! Please have a heart. The guy will fry like a munchkin." "He won't have too if you get us inside and tell me where I can find Zero." Cain let go of Demilo's shirt and just kept one hand on him to keep from running. "What are you gunning for Zero for? That's a short hop to a deep grave." "You don't know the half of it. Are you going to help us?" Cain asked but he was pretty sure he already knew the answer; he looked at the earrings on Demilo's ears and already had a plan in case his was right. "No." Cain wasn't disappointed, "Really?" "Yeah."

"Okay." Cain didn't even think twice. He grabbed Demilo's ears and started to pull, Cain got a howl of pain as a reward. "Oh Ok! Tonight's his weekly shack up." Cain let go of Demilo's ears, "That was easy, wasn't it?" "Oh God I hate Tin Men! Especially Ex-Tin Men! Get your mutes in the wagon." Cain pushed him away from the door and opened for everyone to enter. Sophia let DG, Raw and Glitch enter first. As she entered she couldn't help but smile at Cain. He really knew how to handle a tough situation.

Cain saw the smile and wondered what Sophia was thinking. A smile like that could get a woman in trouble was his thought. He was almost regretting the fact he would have to leave Sophia soon, but Zero had to be taken care of. He couldn't get her involved in his revenge. Sophia had her own issues to work out for herself and DG.

Cain entered in the van and Demilo followed last. "In the likely event of the Longcoasts pulling us over and searching my wagon, I'm going to suggest that you all try to hide. Keep in mind if we are discovered I will say that you took me and my girl's hostage." Demilo warned. It wasn't that largest vehicle in the world and it didn't offer many places to hide. "Deg let's find you a place first." Sophia saw that both Raw and Glitch took places behind the twin girl's pillows. "Ok DG lay down here." Sophia thought the floor looked like one large palette so she thought to add to it. When DG laid down Sophia covered her with some blankets.

Sophia was a little impressed she could barely tell that there was person under there. The twin girls lounged on the floor to add to the effect. Sophia started to look around for a place for her to hide. "Sophia," She turned when she heard Cain call to her. He was up against the wall holding back a curtain with one hand and his other out to her; telling Sophia to come over. "Cain that spot is too small for both of us I'll find another place." "There is no other place sweetheart." Demilo said as he pushed Sophia toward Cain. It wasn't a hard push, just one to get her moving. Cain didn't like seeing him touch Sophia.

"If you want to keep your ears Demilo, you won't touch her again. The other girl is off limits too while we're on the subject." Demilo had to laugh, "Don't you worry Cain. I'm not going to take your woman from you and I have no interest in kids; so the other one's safe." Sophia walked to Cain; she didn't want to be so close to him but she had no choice. Every time she got that close to Cain she lost all sensible thoughts. Cain put Sophia against the wall and he came in front of her with his back to her; acting as a shield. Cain pulled the curtain over them and when Demilo saw that they were hidden the van started up.

"You should have corrected that guy; I'm not your woman Cain." Sophia softly said. He was leaving and she wanted it clear where they stood together. Cain heard her and turned his heard slightly so he could see her over his shoulder. "No you're not, yet." Sophia glared daggers at Cain, 'yet' indeed she thought to herself. "Right, that's why you'll be leaving. You can stop this; saying something to make me mad or confuse the hell out of me. Like you said in the woods, we can't get attached." They felt the van slow. Cain was about to respond to her when Demilo bellowed.

"Will you two lovebirds, shut up. We're coming up to the greats." Demilo warned. The van was silent as they came up to the gates of Central City. Luck was on their side the van was not searched by Longcoats. The van continued into the city and stopped then they were far enough away from the city gates and no Longcoats in sight. Deamilo moved from the front of the van to the back where everyone was hiding. "Good driven ma. Ok, we're in." Everyone came out of there hiding places. "Ok, where can we find the Mystic Man?" DG asked Demilo. "Excuse me; is there a sign on my back saying Central City taxi and tourist information?" Cain grabbed Demilo and pulled up to his full height after that comment. "Ok, alright. So the Mystic Man; that's who you come here for?"

"Is he still in Central City?" Cain asked while he kept a hold of Demilo. "Oh, he's here alright. He's just not holding court where he use to." Cain didn't like it when people didn't speak plainly. To show his point he lifted Demilo up to hit his head on the ceiling before letting him fall to you floor. "Wait what does that mean. Not holding court where he use too?" Sophia asked. She moved to sit next to DG on the floor. Demilo pulled out some tickets from his coat. "These will get you front row sits." DG went to take them and Demilo pulled them back. "Can't go dressed like that cupcake. You and Ms. Sweetheart here will have to change. Maybe my girls can find you both something."

Now that Demilo was closer to the two young women he could see that they were both very attractive. He could understand why Cain was being so protective of them. He looked them both up and down and gave them a sly wink. Sophia had to resist the temptation to slap him, they needed those tickets. Cain must have seen Sophia looks because he took of Demilo from the back of this coat and pulled him away from them. "Then find them something." He demanded.

Cain then took out his gun and started to load it. "Now look, the Mystic Man will have all your answers. You won't need me anymore." Cain had thought to add that he would be coming back when he saw the look on Sophia face, but he didn't. If anything were too happened to him while he went after Zero…he didn't want to hurt her but getting her hopes up. DG saw Soph's look as well, "Don't go after Zero. You're not a killer, you're a Tin Man." Sophia knew that DG was doing; she was trying to convene Cain not to leave them because of what had happened between them in the forest. She already knew that he was leaving but she made up her mind that she wanted one last…"I told you I'd get you all here and I did. Take care of yourself kid and listen to Sophia." Cain started to turn to open the door to leave."Cain, wait." Sophia called as she got up from the floor. She didn't care about the crowd watching. "Thank you." She kissed him, just a small short kiss on his lips. She still felt the surge of desire move though her, she had to close her eyes for a moment. In that moment she had a flash of Cain and Zero fighting; she saw Zero shoot Cain. When she opened her eyes Cain was looking down at her.

"You're Welcome. Get to your father; he'll help you and DG. Listen you and I…just do me a favor. Don't thank everyone that way." And then he was gone. Sophia wanted to warn him about her vision but the words couldn't come out. Sophia was afraid that she would never see him again.


	9. Family Union

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I am sorry for the delay in updating; I'm trying to take my time more with the chapters. Hopefully this will help with typos (please feel free to let me know if there if any improvement) and make for a better story. I would also like to thank everyone for the reviews!!!!

Chapter Eight: Family Reunion

"Soph...You alright?" Sophia was just staring at the door Cain walked out of. She was praying what she saw was wrong. "Yeah." She turned to DG and gave a small smile; she wasn't going to tell her about the vision."Mr. Demilo, you said your girls may have something we could wear." "They're looking. Might as well make your selves at home while their looking." Sophia went and sat down next DG. She should have warned Cain about her vision. Now she was sure that would ever see him again.

Raw was watching Sophia he could see she was upset and failing at keeping it to herself. He scooted closer to Sophia and touched her shoulder with his hand. Sophia looked at Raw and was about to ask him what was wrong but he spoke first. "See too much with mind, need to learn how to see with heart…we are alike but we see differently. He will come back; he will come back for you." Sophia stared at Raw trying to take in everything he was saying."Did you see my….my vision? I should have warned him." "Visions not always certain, didn't say he would die, heart will bring him back."

"Soph, what vision; what did you see?" Sophia pulled away from Raw's hand, "Nothing Deg. Don't worry." Sophia stood up in the van and was about to asked if Demilo's girls were able to find anything when came from the back of truck with two dresses. "These were the only things they have that might fit you both. There are shoes in that closet." He tossed Sophia the dresses. "Alright, did you have anything for our other two friends?" "What did I look like here, tux rental?"

She wasn't in the mood to play with this man. Sophia eyes flashed green in anger."It doesn't have to be a tux, a coat or anything will do. We need to try and blend in. Also is there a place where we can change?" "I'll find something for the other two, if only to get you all out of my wagon. And you're in the changing room." Demilo gave the same sly smile, he thought that he should at least get a show for everything he was giving.

Sophia could read threw the smile, "Dream on, you'll be up front while we change. Deg, we'll take turn holding a sheet up for each other. I'm sure that Raw and Glitch won't mind facing the other way."

At the Mystic Man Theater:

They were walking up to the theater. The dresses that Demilo had given them were identical. It was a short black dress with a red under tone, V cut with thick straps going over the shoulders. They were lovely dresses but the cut was a bit too small for Sophia. She was sure that she was going to fall out of the top.

They continued to walk into the theater and came into view of the stage; where two girls with drums on their sides were singing and dancing. "I guess old Mystic Man is patron of the theatrical arts." Glitch offered to lighten the mood. "My God, Deg my father...let's hope he isn't a Vegas lounge singer." They moved into the theater and took their sits; they had a clear view of the stage.

The drummer girls seem to disappear as the fire began to shoot up from the stage. "Silence" A voice called, it sounded familiar to Sophia. A face came onto stage, it was green but Sophia knew it was him; the man with knowing eyes from her dreams; her father. "It is time for the great and terrible Mystic Man." The face called before it disappeared in smoke and fireworks.

The Mystic Man appeared on the stage, floating on a throne with peacock furthers. He looked frail to Sophia. "Question." The Mystic Man called out. "Mystic Man, answer me this; what is the meaning of life?" An Unknown male answered. "The answer to that question is timeless as the moons. We must service the forces of the universe with all our humanity and all of our humility. First we must inhale the magic." The drummer girls were now spraying soothing around the room and the Mystic Man had grabbed the bottle and was trying to breathe its contains in.

"This is the man with all the answers? What's wrong with him?" Glitch asked. "I don't know…" Sophia answered. Whatever was wrong with him, she had to help him. "And hold it" the Mystic Man called from stage. "He's out of his mind, literary." Glitch added. "HOLD IT AND YOU KNOW THE MEANING OF LIFE!" The whole theater stared to laugh with the Mystic Man.

"Inhale the magic?" DG asked. "Soph, what does that mean?" Glitch answered for her. "Azkadellia's vapors a magic mist that contains a spell of bliss. He doesn't know if his up or down." "My father's high?" Sophia was shocked. She looked over to DG and saw that she was in the same state. "I'm sorry" Sophia heard Raw say. "No, we're not giving up. We have to try and help him. After the show we're going to go talk to him. Maybe he can still help you find your mother DG." Sophia looked up at the stage to her father; she couldn't just give up all hope.

Her mind became full of questions; would he recognize her, would he even remember that he had a daughter? Suddenly only one thing came to Sophia's mind, Danger. She saw Zero's face in her mind; he was coming for her and DG. "We have trouble." Sophia warned while she was trying to stop the swinging feeling in her hear. "Hey, there's that guy who locked up Cain." Sophia pulled DG's heard closure to the table when she tried to turn and look at Zero.

"We have to get out of here." Glitch said. "We can't leave. DG still needs to get her message from my father and I…I can't…Come on Zero and his men still haven't seen us. If we move now we can make it back stage." She grabbed DG's hand and started walking toward the back stage area. She kept their backs to Zero hopping that they would not realize who they were. Ram and Glitch followed closely behind.

They made it to the back of the theater where all the dressing rooms were along a narrow hall. "What y'all want?" a man asked who was sitting at a desk toward the front part of the hall. "We have an appointment with the Mystic Man. What room?" Sophia asked him she tried to keep her voice level. She didn't want to let on to the fact that Longcoats were on their hells. "Room two." She nodded and they all walked down to the room. It was the last door at the end of the hall.

Sophia stood there looking at the door. She couldn't bring herself to knock on the door…she was almost afraid. Now that they had come so far she was worried what the answers would be to all her questions. DG knocked on the door and heard Sophia's father yell back to them, "Come in, COME IN!!" DG and Sophia looked at each other and took hold of each other's hand. They were in this together till the end.

DG slowly opened the door and stuck her head inside the door. "Hi….Umm… Can I…Can we ask you a question?" DG asked as everyone walked into the room. The Mystic Man was sitting in a chair in the room; Sophia could see that he was ill. He was sweating as though he worked in the heat of the day but his coloring was gray with fever. "Questions, Questions. Ask, I am the great and terrible...I know…much… "They didn't even get one word out before two Longcoats broke into the room. One of them was holding a gun; Sophia pushed DG behind her to protect her. "Find Zero!" the one holding the gun ordered. As the other Longcoat turned to leave someone came from the hall and knocked him out with one hit.

A six shooter gun can into view from the door; it was pointed at the still standing Longcoat. "Drop it or I'll blow you into next week." Sophia recognized Cain voice and thought it was sweetest should she ever heard. Glitch had been standing close to the door and saw an empty bottle and hit the Longcoat over the head successfully disabling him. Raw helped Glitch pull him into the dressing room as Cain came into view. "You came back…"Sophia couldn't keep the surprise from her voice. "I thought you weren't a Tin Man anymore." DG added.

Cain knew now was not the time for questions, he had to get them away from the Longcoats. "We got to go." He said and began to turn to leave. "We can't" DG said to stop him, "He's…not well." "Who's not well?" Cain walked into the dressing room and saw the Mystic Man. As he passed Sophia he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze to comfort her. "Oh my; that's not the Mystic Man I remember. Azkadellia really messed him up. She's got him on vapors." Cain walked over to the Mystic Man; he'd seen what vapors can do to a person in the past and knew that the Mystic Man was in for a hard spell. "Hey. Look until this wears off you going to have to hurt for a while, okay." Cain felt sorry for his past employer; he could see that the Mystic Man was on the brink of tears.

"We need answers now." Cain heard DG say. "It would be the vapors talking not him." Sophia walked over to her father and knelled beside Cain to sit in front of him. "Cain she's right, Zero won't wait. We have to try." As Sophia said this she took her father's hand. She could see the pain he was in. She felt Cain leave her side and DG come to sit next to her. "Sir. Sir. Sir. You have some answers…." DG started. "Answers…." The Mystic man replied. "Yes." "Sure."

DG continued, "Many years ago you helped a woman smuggle a child out of the O.Z along with your daughter." "Out of the O.Z….yes…with my daughter…yes." He answered. "Yes!! I was that child and she is your daughter." "Right." Sophia looked at her father while DG tried to help him remember, she could tell that he didn't understand. In that second she thought that her heard would break. He really did not remember her. To make matters worst DG didn't seem to catch on that the Mystic Man didn't remember anything. "So you have to help find out where my mother is, who my mother is."

"Umm. A Woman. Umm, women are great." It took the Mystic Man to start laughing for DG to realize that he didn't remember. "I remember…who?...who?" "My mother…." Dg sounded like she was cry. "Deg maybe we should give him a…" Sophia didn't get to finish telling DG wait before her father started to speak again."Whose Mother…Whose Mother?" DG snapped and she slapped Sophia's father. "I'm sorry…Sophia I didn't mean to hurt him." DG held her hand up to show she really didn't mean any harm.

Sophia saw the stamp on DG's hand start to glow. "Deg your hand." The Mystic Man reached out and took hold of DG's hand. He smiled, "You have most brilliant beautiful blue eyes, but your mother had lavender." The Mystic Man looked over at Sophia. He seemed to be studying her face. "Soph….My little Sophia?" "You remember me…" Sophia move forward and took him into a hug and held onto him tightly. "Help me remember….." she asked while he hugged her.

Cain had been watching the door and he didn't want to break up the father and daughter's union; but the more time the spent there the greater the chances were of them being found out. "Ok kid-o, Sophia. We got to get out of here right now." "Not now Mr. Cain he hasn't told us where to find my mother. Pulse Soph just got her father back, we can't leave now." DG answered back. The Mystic Man looked up at Cain…he remember him. He reached up and took hold of Cain by his duster. "Cain? Cain you were one of mine, weren't you? A Tin Man" "A long time ago."

Glitch had taken over the duty of watching the door and saw that they were no longer alone. Longcoats were not just down the hall. He called over to Cain with a whisper. "Please, please." DG begged the Mystic Man; she had to get something from him about her mother. "The Northern Island; your journey for her to find out who you are starts there." Sophia had been in a bit of shock over the fact that he remembered her, that she almost didn't understand everything going on around her. She saw that Cain had opened a window to her father's room. Cain was trying to move everyone out.

Cain had managed to get DG, Glitch and Raw out of the window. "Soph move. You too Sir." "No, you stay with DG and my daughter at all cost." "I have to take care of Zero." Cain argued. "You know who she is now. She is the key. Promise me. I want your word as a Tin Man you will not leave her side at any cost. Protect her and Sophia…." Cain knew that he lost the battle. "You have my word." The Mystic Man smiled he was starting to feel like his old self again. He looked at Sophia, "I am proud of you; your memories will return soon...you're even more beautiful than your mother." And then he was gone. Sophia started to go after him but Cain took hold of her and pulled out the window to safety.

Sophia started to fight Cain when he was pulling her down the alley. She couldn't leave her father at the mercy of the Longcoats. "We can't; we can't let him stay. I have to go back for him." Cain stopped running and pulled Sophia close to him. "You can't Soph. He had enough sense of mind to want you and DG safe. He can take care of himself." Sophia's mind started to flesh images of her father in a cell with a beautiful woman, she looked like DG. This unknown woman was killing her father. "No! You don't understand! He'll be killed…..please."

She started to hit him. Cain saw the panic in her eyes when she started to attack him. He couldn't let her go back to try and save the Mystic Man. The thought her falling into Zero hands…."I'm sorry Soph." Cain didn't want to hurt her but she was giving him little choice. He was more experienced in fighting and easily got Sophia turned around exposing the back of her neck to him. He gave her one good hit where her neck and back meet with his hand. The effect was instant. Sophia passed out.

Cain took hold of her before she hit the ground and threw her over his shoulder. Cain was a little amazed how light she was. Sophia wasn't a big girl but he thought that with her curvy figure that she would be heavier. She would be mad as hell when she woke up. Cain started to run with Sophia over his shoulder and managed to catch up with the others.

DG saw that Cain was carrying Sophia. "Cain what happened? Is she ok?" "She'll be fine kid. Sophia will have a head ache when she wakes up and I won't be her favorite person but she'll be alright. We have to get out of the city. The Longcoats know that you two are here." "The Northern Island, that's where we need to go, where I'll find something that will lead me to my mother."

"We won't be able to walk that distance." Cain said he was trying to think of away to get everyone safely out of the city and at the same time that would make travel up north easier. "Demilo's wagon. Let's move." Cain ordered. Demilo's wagon wasn't that far away from the theater, it did take them any time at all to get there. "Glitch, Raw; one of you hold Sophia while I….convince Demilo to let us use the van."

Raw came forward and took Sophia into his arms; holding her bridle style. "She dreams…worries for her father, DG….dream of you." Raw said while he looked Cain in the eye. Cain didn't know what to say but now wasn't the time. Cain walked into Demilo's wagon and found him sleeping on the floor with his girls. "Wakie, wakie sunshine." Cain said as he kicked Demilo's foot lightly. "GO away we're closed." Cain kicked Demilo again but he still wasn't waking up. "I said back off moron. "

Demilo's girls woke up and started to pat him on the chest to wake him up. "Class act Demilo." Cain said as Demilo began to come to. "Cain what do you want" "Your wagon." Demilo looked up at Cain his vision was burly with the sleep still in his eyes. "No." "It wasn't a request. Now you and yours either get out or I'll toss you out." "No. You seem to be in a real hurry to get out of town so that means you got the Longcaots after you; and if I help you they'll come after me."

"They won't if you tell them I took it by force. Pulse if do this, I'll make it worth your while." Cain answered. He knew the one thing that Demilo would not be able to resist. "How would you do that?" "Help us and you'll never hear or see from me again." It was the best offer Demilo ever had; with Cain out of the way he could truly get business back to normal." "Deal and we need to make sure that everyone around see you take it by force. I don't want to be on Zero's bad side."

Cain smiled and picked Demilo up from the floor and threw him out of the wagon. To add to the effect Demilo started yelling, "This is my wagon. How can you do this to me? I have a wife and children." "Get in the van. Raw put Sophia in the front sit." Cain order and he moved into the drivers sit. "How do you start this thing?" Demilo stopped yelling long enough to give instructions. "You got pull the knob out and pull the red thing." "Thank you." The wagon started up and Cain out the van into drive. Demilo ran a little behind them again for effect.

Cain speed the van out of the city. They were fortunate to get out before they put more Longcoats at the gates. He looked over to Sophia, she was still asleep. She dreamed of him. He couldn't help but wonder what type of dreams. DG came to the front of the van and sat on the floor between Cain and Sophia. "How long will it take her to come too?" She asked. "Shouldn't be much longer. I tried not to hurt her but she was trying to go back…I couldn't let the Longcoats…." "You're right she'll be mad at you but, if I my sis…Soph she'll understand."

"How you holding kid." Cain asked DG. She looked like a lost child to him. "I'm fine Mr. Cain, better when Sophia wakes up. I don't what I would have done if she wasn't here with me. She always…she's the one who clams me, she always has a plan." Cain nodded as he listened to DG, he knew the kid was having a ruff time but admired the fact that she wasn't cowering. "If it's not too personal…can I ask you a question Cain? Well questions really." "Ask kid."

"Why did you come back?" DG asked him. "I found Zero's…lady friend and she told me that he left because he got word that you two had made it into the city. I didn't want anything to happen to Soph…. to the both of you. So I came to get you both." "Do you love her Cain?"

That was the one question he wasn't ready for. Leave it to a kid to ask a question like that. "I'll be honest. I don't know; I feel something for her….lets leave it at that for now; but fair being fair I have a few questions. Sophia said she dreamed of me. Is that true?" DG had to think if it was really her place to tell Cain these things. She was worried about his reaction but he was being truthful with her. "Yes. You may not have notice but sometimes Soph just knows things? She gets these, what she calls visions, and sometimes she'll get them while she's sleeping. She's been having them about you for sometime. It was your eyes…she realized it was you when we let you out of that suit."

Cain let everything DG said wash over him. "Did she know my name or anything about me?" "No she just saw your face…I'm going to go change." DG got up and left Cain and Sophia alone; she didn't want to answer anymore questions. She made up her mind that Sophia should be the one to tell him anything else. He continued to drive and tried to stay focused on the road. He heard Sophia moan and knew she was waking up. He prepared himself for her anger.

Her heard felt like someone beat the crap out of her. Sophia then remembered Cain hitting her. She looked around and saw that they were back in Demilo's van and Cain was driving. "If you ever do that again…you best make sure when I wake up that you're not there. I should hate you….I wish I could hate you... Thank you." He wasn't expecting the thank you. Cain looked over to Sophia with a confused look; he'd been expecting her to yell. "For what?" "For saving my ass; I would have gone back and gotten caught. Lord knows what would have happened…"

"I thought would be mad…." Sophia nodded her head to Cain response. "Oh I'm mad Cain. My head hurts, thanks to you, my father was taken; I might never see him again and I have no idea what to do…..I'm just smart enough to pick my battles. With all the problems were facing being mad at you will have to wait." Cain couldn't help the sigh of relief that came over the fact that she understood why he hit her. It at the very least would make the drive less awkward.


	10. The Northern Island

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I am sorry for the delay in updating; I'm trying to take my time more with the chapters. Hopefully this will help with typos (please feel free to let me know if there if any improvement) and make for a better story. I would also like to thank everyone for the reviews!!!!

Chapter Nine: The Northern Island:

Cain's hope of the drive being less awkward was short lived. The silence was driving him nuts. It was making the air around him and Sophia thick; you could almost cut through it. He decided that wanted a few answers when it came to her; Sophia was a mystery. If it had been anyone else he would just have demanded them but he already knew that wouldn't work with her. Knew she would only answer when she was ready. It was just his luck to come across someone as…willful as him. Best to ease into the questions…

"Sophia…Outside the theater you said you saw your farther being killed. These things you see, are they curtain? How does it work?" She looked over at Cain and remained silent thinking of the best way to answer. "Sometimes...it's hard to explain. I don't even understand them, these visions. Back in Kansas I would say yes they always come true but here…. It's different here. Raw said I need to see more with my heart and less with my mind. I don't even what that means….I hope what I saw was wrong, I just found my father." She didn't continue; she didn't know the how or whys to explain to him. "What about your dreams of me? Tell me about them."

"How do you know about my dreams? Did DG say something to you?" Cain smiled a little, Sophia sounded appalled. "You told me that you've dream of me before we…. On the road and yes DG did say you dreamed of me but nothing else." Sophia cheeks turned red as she remembered her and Cain's kiss. "Nothing to tell, I just saw your face…your eyes. That's it we never spoke or anything. We just stared at each other." Sophia was try to find away to change the subject, she wasn't comfortable talking to Cain about her dreams of him. Cain saw her face flush and couldn't help but laugh. "What's so funny? Are you laughing at me?"

"Yes, yes I am. I'm not making fun of you but when start turning red like an apple…it makes me wonder if you telling me the truth about those dreams." Cain didn't think it was possible but Sophia managed to turn a deep shade of red. She refreshing to be around easy to tease, it seemed that she wore her mind on her sleeve. "Nothing to tell….." she responded. "Care to tell me then why you seem so embarrassed?" Sophia was trying to think of a way to change the subject and fast, she looked down and realized that she was still in the party dress.

"It's starting to get cold, I better go change." Sophia tried to get up to go into the back of the van. Cain kept one hand of the wheel and with the other it took hold of Sophia's arm with a firm grip and push she back into the chair. "You can change after you answered my question. Why are you embarrassed? The whole time we've been together you've been a hell cat. Now you're acting like a scared kitten." Sophia tried once again to get up to move but Cain didn't let up his hold on her.

She was fighting a losing battle. "I really don't want to like you Cain, especially when you start being stubborn…..I was remembering our kiss. There are you happy? Can I go change now?" Sophia spate the last part to him; she didn't like being pushed around. Cain saw the fire come into her eyes; green fire, like emeralds. Cain smiled again, he let Sophia go and put both hand back on the wheel. Sophia got up and left him alone. He was satisfied for now at least.

In the last few minutes he learned more about the type of person Sophia was. She gave herself away without even realizing it. Sophia was a strong, private person. He already knew she had a loving nature and was loyal with how she was with DG. She was innocent. The more he got to know her the more he realized that like it or not she would be his.

Sophia had gone to the back of the van to change back into her jeans and shirt. The farther north they went the colder it got. She didn't like the cold. Before she changed she looked around the van for something warmer to put on, the shirt she'd been wearing had short sleeves. She saw that DG was sitting with Glitch and Raw. She was looking through a closet and found some shawls. It would have to do. "Deg here," Sophia tossed one of the shawls to her. "I'm going to change, why don't you go sit up front it's a bit warmer there."

"Did you want me to hold up one the shawls for you Soph?" DG asked while she was moving up from the floor. "No I'll be fine. I'm sure I can trust Glitch and Raw to keep turned the other way." They took a hint and without being asked both Glitch and Raw moved to face the other way as DG moved up front to sit with Cain. Sophia turned around and kept her back to the front of the van. She put her paints on under the dress first before she started to take the dress off. With how the dressed fitted her she hadn't been able to wear she bra. She had just gotten the dress off and starting to put her bra on her when she felt a bump and the van stopping.

Cain looked at the van confused the bump didn't feel like much. He turned to the back of the van to check on everyone and he voice almost failed him. He saw that Glitch and Raw were huddled together for warmth and Sophia standing behind them getting dressed. Her back was to him and he could see how smooth her skin was, it seemed to call out to him; asking for him to touch her. The spell seemed to be broken when she put her shirt on. "You alright?" He meant the question to be for Sophia but Glitch answered. "Yeah just freezing."

Cain told DG to stay in the van and he got out to check what the problem was. The wind was cutting though him and the snow wasn't making the cold any better. He kneed down in the snow and saw the problem right away. The axle was broken. Cain groaned in frustration. There was no way to fix it; they would have to walk. He opened the side of the van and grabbed the ax from the side. "Oh what now" Glitch called out. "Broke axle." Raw answered for Cain. "No kidding; come on lets go we're walking." He helped DG out of the van and saw the Sophia had already made her way out. She barely had anything to protect her from the cold.

He started to take his coat off and walked over to her. Cain didn't wait for her to argue with him and placed the coat on her shoulders. "Cain we don't have far to walk, I'll be fine." She didn't want him to freeze to death. "If it's not far I can handle it Sophia." Cain saw that she was about to start arguing with him. He just turned and starting leading the Raw and Glitch up the hill. He wasn't going to give her an opportunity to bicker with him.

Cain's coat seemed to swallow her up. "Deg come here." DG came over to Sophia; with the coat being so large Sophia had enough room to share with DG. She adjusted the coat so they were both covered and then they followed the others. The snow wasn't too high but the wind made their progress up the hill slow. Sophia was really worried that Cain wouldn't make it; but he never complained about the cold and the wind didn't seem to affect him. He just kept walking; she couldn't help but be impressed. The man was tuff to say the least.

As they reach the top of the hill Cain looked back to check on Sophia and saw that she had his coat around both her and DG. She didn't seem to have a selfish bone in her body. Cain could only hope they didn't have much farther to go. The arctic wind was cutting thought him. He just kept repeating in his head that it was mind over matter and if he doesn't mind the cold then it don't matter. DG and Sophia made it up the hill and came to stand in front of him. "What we're looking for is over there." DG called and point to what looked like an ice berg to Sophia. She was remembering her Pop's stories from Kansas. "Frozen in time is a sea of ice…DG just like……" "Dad's stories; that have to be the right place." DG answered back.

The continued on the journey and made it over the frozen lake the surrounded the ice berg. When they came upon the mountain of ice Sophia felt a change in DG. DG felt her side and took the ax from Cain. DG was ordering everyone to dig but there was only one ax. Sophia understood before the others, this was DG's home. She finally realized what their parental units were saying in Milltown. All the stories they heard growing up were related to their lives here in the O.Z.

"Daughter of light came upon a glistening white mountain. Frozen in time in a sea of ice above all else she knew that…that this mountain was more then it appeared. It was home." DG yelled as she broke though the ice. Cain, Glitch and Raw where looking at DG as though she lost her mind. Sophia noticed that Cain was starting to fidget due to the cold and took his coat off and gave it back to him. "Thanks Cain. We'll be in doors soon."

Cain looked at Sophia as if she were crazed. It was just then when Sophia moved away from Cain he saw the DG had uncovered a door. Sophia moved to stand next to DG and gave an encouraging smile. DG tired to open the door but it was locked. "Deg, try your hand, the one with the stamp." DG held up her hand but nothing seemed too happened. "Focus, relax DG…" DG's hand started to glow and the door opened.

Sophia gave DG a little side hug and turned to look at Cain, "See told you we would be indoors soon." DG and Sophia were the first the walk in the door. It was a beautiful great hall. There wasn't very much light but there was a clear path down the center and Sophia could see a forest of pillars with the green and blue floor. Sophia was looking around as they walked; she was the first to see the picture. She almost couldn't believe what she was seeing it was DG's mother and Glitch. DG was royalty. "Ah… DG come here and check this out…." Sophia looked at DG then back to the picture, she looked a lot like her mother. "Soph….my mother was the Queen…." DG sounded to be in a little shock. "That makes you princess." Raw said as he bowed to DG.

Sophia looked over to Cain and saw the little smile on his face. She realized that he knew who DG was. She now remembered what her father had made him promise before they ran from Central City. DG had to be protected. Sophia started to feel a little dizzy in her mind fleshed a memory her and her father getting out of a carriage - I understand I need to watch out for her now. DG is to be my sister. – She was sent to take care of DG….

She was pulled back from her thoughts to reality when DG started to ask Glitch about her mother. "I know I wasn't an idiot, or a convict. I was the Queen's advisor." Glitch said the last part give Cain a slightly mean look. "The Queen sat glazing hopefully out upon her frozen realm…..longing for her daughter to return." Sophia heard DG say before she started running toward the stairs at the end of the hall. They all followed up the stairs; DG seemed to know where to go. They came into a room that looked like no had been it in for many years. All the furniture was covered and the air had dust in it.

DG had gone over to a chair in the room; Raw followed her and touched the chair. "Sad; mother waited couldn't stay." Sophia looked around the room she'd seen it before….in her vision about Cain. She needed to sit down; she didn't even look for a proper place to do so. Sophia kneed to the floor, "Deg….we can't stay here long…." She looked up at Cain who was making his way to her. "You're in danger here…." DG came and sit next to Sophia on the floor, "Soph, what are you seeing?" Sophia shook her head saying without words that she wouldn't tell her. She wasn't just seeing Cain but the woman who killed her father…she saw her taking DG.

Raw seemed to sense Sophia feelings and wanted to get out as fast as he could. "Bad things, bad things happened here." DG looked up at Raw she saw the fear in his face. "What bad things?" DG was starting to get worried but she couldn't bring herself to leave yet; she had to know what happened here. Raw turned and looked down to Cain who was now on the floor next to Sophia. "Tell her." Cain ordered Raw, he knew that DG needed to see what happened.

Cain put his arms around Sophia and tried to help her off the floor while Raw was showing DG and Glitch the past. "Soph…Are alright. I need you to get up…." Sophia looked at Cain, "I'm fine….I was just seeing….we need to get out of here. We can't let my …we can't let DG stay here." Cain had managed to help her up. Once up Sophia left Cain arms and ran up behind DG. She saw in the mirror DG's mother whispering in her ear. "DG we have to go now…" "Soph I'm related to…." DG didn't get to finish. "Mother could never leave well enough alone."

The Sorceress Azkadellia was standing behind them with Zero and other Longcaots. One of the Longcoats already took Cain's gun giving it to Zero. Sophia turned around keeping DG behind her. "You're my sister…" DG couldn't keep the shock out her voice. "DG, the little sister I thought I no longer had. I've always wondered what you'd look like." The Sorceress said as she walked closer to Sophia and DG. "You just stay away from her or I'll…" Sophia threatened. "Or you'll what little wisdom? You have no magic…" The Sorceress replied with a smile in her voice.

"What do you want?" DG asked as she came from behind Sophia. She took Sophia hand to give her courage to confront her lost sister. "Well up until a moment ago I wanted your death. Ha, but now it seems you have something I need." DG looked at her confused, "What?" "The emerald; you know where it is. Don't tell me you haven't dreamed of it, heard it calling to you begging to be found from its dark hiding place." DG looked at Sophia, both shaking their heads. DG was hoping that maybe one of Soph's visions would come to help but she looked as confused as DG did. "No I haven't."

"No? What did she whisper in your ear?" Azkadellia demanded. "I don't remember." DG answered. "That's a shame." Sophia heard the threat in her voice. "Explain how she can tell you something she doesn't even remember." Azkadellia looked at Sophia, "You stay out of this; I'll be dealing with you and your father later." Azkadellia turned her back and walked back to the Longcoats. Cain saw Sophia take a step forward he put his hand on her shoulder to keep her in place. She turned her head a little to look at him and saw Cain shake his head no at her, telling her now was not the time to attack. She knew he was right and she needed to stay focused if they we going to get out of here alive.

Azkadellia had made what looked almost like a lantern to appear. Sophia could see the image of DG's mother in it, could hear her calling out to her daughter. Azkadellia tossed the object to DG. "What have you done with her." She demanded to know. "Put her away for safe keeping, like any good daughter would." Azakdellia answered. "Where?" "Somewhere you will never find her." Sophia took the lantern like object from DG and looked quickly to the door hoping the DG caught on. Without a second thought she threw it to the ground causing a small explosion and smoke to cover the area.

"RUN!" Sophia shouted and pushed DG toward the door. Glitch and Raw quickly followed DG. Sophia had followed after Raw and she was almost out the door when one of the Longcoats took hold of her from behind. She tried to fight him off but he had managed to get a hold around her arms and pulled her close to his chest. The Longcoat's grim was so tight that she couldn't move. Azkadellia smiled as she pasted Sophia, "Stay here and keep a hold of that bitch while I collect my dear little sister." Sophia saw her and two other Longcaots leave the room.

"Let's enjoy the show pretty." The Longcoat said to Sophia and took her over by the bed in the room. She saw that Cain was fighting against Zero and two others. At first he seemed to handling the fight but Zero got in a few good hits and Cain was down on the ground. Zero just strolled around the room fixing his hair; he was going to have the others finish the fight. He saw that one of his men had a hold of the Mystic Man's daughter and thought of truly wonderful way to get under Cain's skin. He walked over to her and looked Sophia in the eye and took hold of a strand of hair, twisting it in his fingers. Her legs were still free so he came over to her side to be safe from kicking, "You know Cain; I must thank you for this…..truly beautiful prisoner. I think before The Sorceress kills her that she and I will become…well let's just say that I'll come to know all of her." Sophia pulled her head back to get her hair away from Zero, "Over my dead body."

Zero smiled, "That's the point dear and my you have some sprit in you. That will make things very interesting." These words were enough to give Cain the will to get back up. He saw the other Longcoats about to come at him again. "Now I know why they call you Zero. Still can't fight you own battles." Zero looked back at Cain he was out numbered the fight was won but it wanted to cruse him. The signaled for the other to stop, "I do my share."

Sophia knew that there were just too many for one person. Zero had give Cain a few good hits again and then the other two Longocats came in. One of them held Cain while the other continued to beat him up. Cain managed to kick one in the chest and then elbowed the one behind him. Zero came right back to him hitting Cain in the Chest and kneed him in the head. Cain was down on the ground again and Sophia didn't think he would make it back up. She saw Zero walking toward Cain's gun on the ground. Her vision came back to her mind. She had to help Cain….she couldn't loss him now.

Sophia did the only thing she could think of to get the Longcoat to let her go. She stomped as hard as she could on his foot. When he let her go she remember how Cain had hit the back of her neck, she put her two hands together and hit the man with as much force as she could. The Longcoat went down like a sack of wheat. Sophia ran over to Cain, he was already starting to get up. She took hold of one of his arms and placed it on her shoulder. "No Iron suite for you this time. No sister, no child crying for years to free you from it." Cain heard Zero say while with Sophia's help he had managed to get up from the floor. "My family is alive…" Zero just smiled, "Hardly matters now." Zero answered as he took aim.

Sophia tried to pull Cain out of harm's way but Cain already knew it was too late for that. All he could hope to do is protect Sophia, he pushed her behind him right when the bullet hit. It had hit Cain with enough force that he lost his footing and fall backwards. Cain was too heavy for Sophia and when his weight came onto her she fall back into the window. The all thing she could think to do was hold onto him as they fall to the ice below.


	11. Close Encounters

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I would like to thank everyone for the reviews!!!! Also forgive me spelling and grammar, I'm really trying to work on it and hope it shows. On another note, please forgive for the long time it has taken for me to update; for some reason this chapter just hasn't flowed right. Any comments or any pointers would be great.

Chapter Ten: Close Encounters

The water was freezing. Sophia had never felt anything like it. After her and Cain hit the ice they started to sink into the waters below, her whole body felt as though a thousand nails were driving into her skin. That feeling was the only thing that kept Sophia from passing out and continuing the descent into the arctic waters.

She had managed to keep a hold on Cain as they fell to the ice. It took all of her strength to pull Cain with her to the surface. It was tiring, for a long while all she could do was hang onto the edge of the ice. She looked over to Cain and tears came to her eyes but she didn't let a single one fall. He was still breathing but she couldn't tell how badly Cain was hurt. She didn't see any blood on him; at least that was a good sign.

"Cain…if you can hear me we need to get out of the water. I'm going to get out first and then I'll pull you out. I need you to hold on to the edge so you don't fall back in…" Cain still didn't open his eyes but Sophia saw his hands grip the ice. She pulled herself from the water; the snow was falling very heavily now. They would need to get to some shelter. Sophia pulled Cain out of the water and came to sit next to him in the snow, "Cain, are you able to walk? We need to get out of here…" Cain just laid there and did not respond.

She knew that she wouldn't be able to carry him. Sophia took hold of Cain's hands and started to pull; they had to get out of the snow and if she had to drag him the whole way, well there wasn't away around it. The man wasn't getting any liter and part of Sophia wanted to give up and just lay down next to him and sleep. She knew she couldn't, they would both freeze to death if she did. Sophia started to list all the times that Cain has made her angry since she met him. From his confusing the hell out of her to him being the most stubborn person to be born.

It gave her the will to keep dragging him. When he woke Sophia was going to give Cain more than a piece of her mind. She would unleash hell on him. How dare he let himself get shot? Didn't he know he was best thing that came into my life…Sophia stopped dragging Cain and dropped his hands. She looked down at him in the snow and couldn't believe her own thoughts; she was falling for the Tin Man. She didn't understand how it happened so fast.

"Cain…Sophia. What happened?" Sophia looked over and saw Glitch calling out to her from the front of the castle. She didn't realize how far she had dragged Cain. "He was shot…..we fell from the window. Where's DG?" Glitch could see the Sophia was on the verge of passing out. Both she and Cain's skin looked blue from the cold. "She was taken…we need to get you two warm and dry."

Sophia could only nod. The shock of everything settling in and realizing that she loved Cain was making her mind fuzzy. She saw Glitch walk over to her and Cain; he picked Cain up and threw him over his shoulder. "Sophia, we're going back to the wagon." Glitch said as he begin to walk thought the blizzard. She followed him slowly. Sophia was starting to feel numb all over; she wasn't even paying attention to where she was walking.

As they made there was though the snow, Glitch turned very now and again to make sure that Sophia was keeping up. He was really worried that he would end up having to carry her to the wagon too, but she surprised him. They made it to the wagon and Sophia had managed to walk into only a tree or two. It was just as cold inside the wagon but at least here the wind wouldn't cut into them. When Glitch got into the wagon he laid Cain down on the floor and started to check him for injuries and removing his clothing.

Glitch saw Sophia was leaning against the wall watching him with half closed eyes. He knew what needed to be done to make sure they didn't die from hyperthermia but he was worried about her reaction. "Sophia, I'll take care of Cain but I need you…..this is going to sound bad….I need you take your clothes off." Sophia saw that Glitch started to take Cain's coat off but her mind didn't comprehend Glitch's requested. "Why…" Glitch looked back up to Sophia again seeing that she didn't understand. "I need you to take you clothes off, I have to rap you and Cain together to bring up your body temperature until you both out of danger….also I'm going to try and dry you clothes. I think I'll be able to make a small fire to help with warming up the wagon…."

Glitch went back to undressing Cain. Sophia saw him unbutton Cain's shirt and pulled out the small tin horse that was his son's. The bullet that would have killed him was embedded in the toy. "You're lucky." She heard Glitch say to himself with a small smile on his face. Sophia was starting to understand Glitch's request, "I shouldn't be next to Cain when we're…not dressed…" Sophia almost kept talking but Glitch had finished removing Cain's shirt and started to take off his pants. She couldn't help but admire his well toned chest and the thought be being so close to him made her heart skip a beat.

Glitch looked back over to Sophia and notice her stunned expression, he believed that she was nerves_._ "Sophia this is for survival. I won't look at you and Cain will understand when he wakes up why we had to do this……" Sophia knew he was trying to put her at easy but Glitch didn't understand even with her clouded mind she knew being next to Cain's while unclothed was not a good idea. She could barely keep from kissing him when they close, she didn't want to think what possibilities being naked would bring. Sophia slid down the wall and came to sit on the floor, she closed her eyes while Glitch continued to undress Cain and cover him with a blanket.

She fell asleep in less than a second. Glitch looked over to Sophia and knew he would have to undress her now; he only prayed that when Cain woke up he wouldn't kill him. Glitch may have no brains but he wasn't senseless, he saw the sparks flying between them, the looks they gave each when they thought no one was looking. Glitch knew that if Cain thought that he mishandled or looked at Sophia wrong he'd be a dead man; but he had no choice.

He went over to Sophia and picked her up and drought to next to Cain. Glitch laid her between Cain and the wall before he began the awkward task of undressing her. Although he had no memory Glitch was certain that he never undress a woman that fast before; he just wanted the task done and did his best not to look at her. Glitch thought he had done very well while getting her shoes, socks, pants and shirt off; but her under clothes were a different story. He'd never see anything like them in the O.Z. before. He decided to leave the short under pants on her and looked at the contraposition on her chest. It looked be about as comfortable as having a pole stuck in ones back.

He placed part of the blanket over her so he wouldn't have to see her intimate places. Glitch hadn't seen a place to remove to thing from the front; once she was covered he pulled her up into a sitting position. He saw the little hooks on the back part. He didn't waste time and unhook the thing before removing it from under the blanket; he was very careful to only touch the clothing. He laid Sophia back down once he had the article removed.

He started to work to make a fire in the small stove in the wagon. There was a little wood in the wagon; he would have to go out for more. While working on the fire Glitch saw Sophia move nearer to Cain. They seemed to be made for each other was Glitch's thought as one of Cain's arm moved to bring Sophia even closer to him. Glitch continued to work the fire and starting to dry their clothing. Hours were by and Cain and Sophia continued to sleep. He got the clothing dry and folded, laying them next to the couple. Glitch realized that he still had Cain's gun and place it on top of the clothing.

He noticed that they were now out of fire wood. Glitch got up and started to walk toward the door when Cain's hand came aiming his gun at him. Glitch saw that his eyes were still closed and realized that Cain must be starting to wake up as he pushed the gun so it wasn't pointing at him. "You have been sleeping for hours. Like a baby with his pacifier." Cain eyes fully opened and he took in his surroundings. He saw Sophia curled up next to him with one of his arms around her. He couldn't stop the sigh of relief, she was alive. He could feel her soft skin under his hand and couldn't stop his fingers from trailing along her shoulder.

Cain remembered they weren't alone and looked back to Glitch. "I thought you were dead." Cain saw Glitch nod his head, "Dido. You know I may have saved you from hyperthermia, Sophia from the water; but this save your life." Glitch held out the small tin horse and handed it to Cain. "It stopped the bullet." Cain took the toy and had a moment of clarity as he remembered everything that had brought him here. He looked at Sophia's sleeping form, he was meant to help her, to protect her and DG; to love her. He remembered the fear in him when she tried to get in front of him to stop the bullet. When Sophia did wake up he decided to give her hell, she couldn't be so careless with her safety. "DG?" Cain asked trying to bring his thoughts away from what could have happened to Sophia.

"Azkadellia." Cain already knew they had to find a way to get DG back. "Raw?" He was almost afraid to ask. "I don't know I can't find him. Either they took him too or he's dead….I'm going to try again to find him when I go out for more firewood." Cain wasn't holding his breath about Raw, "Maybe he ran away."

"You know you really should something about the bitter cynicism of yours Cain."

Cain couldn't help but smile a little, "Why someone's got to keep your wide-eyed optimism in check." Cain was again going to close his eyes to sleep when he felt Sophia turn her whole body towards him and placed one of her legs on top of his. He just realized that both he and Sophia were naked. Cain grounded his teeth together to keep the groan from escaping. The feel of her satin skin was almost too much for him; all he wanted to do was to run his hands all over her body_._ "Glitch; why are Sophia and I naked?" Cain tried to keep his voice even but he was sure that he failed when Glitch looked at him with wide eyes. "I undressed you both so you could share body heat and Sophia isn't completely naked. Your clothes were wet as well and if you both stayed in them I don't think either of you would have made it. Don't be mad and don't upset Sophia. She seemed very….uneasy about being next to you unclothed and like I said she's not naked I left her underclothes on."

"You undressed her…" Cain knew why Glitch had but he couldn't help the fact he wanted to beat Glitch within an inch of his life. He knew Glitch didn't do anything wrong but the thought of another person touching or looking at Sophia. His Sophia. It was almost too much for him but he couldn't be angry for Glitch saving their lives. "I did but I didn't look at her and I undressed her mostly under the blanket, I didn't see anything and she was asleep. Listen you're clothes are dry. I'm going to get more firewood and see if I can find any sign of Raw; why don't you try to wake her up and get dressed." Cain could hear the panic in Glitch's voice as he walked to the door of the wagon and was just about to walk out when Cain stopped him. "Glitch, I owe you one." Cain saw Glitch nod his head as he walked out the door and heard him muttering how easy it would be for Cain to get psychological help.

Cain waited a few minutes to be sure that Glitch had really left and turned to his side to look at Sophia. The girl slept like the dead, she didn't wake up the whole time him and Glitch were talking. She looked peaceful in her sleep; if he hadn't known her Cain would have thought she was an angle. He knew better; she may look sweet but there was a fire in her. He almost regretted that he had to wake her up. Cain reached out and lightly touched her cheek with the back of his hand. The urge to touch and kiss her had become too much. Cain move closer to Sophia's face, "Soph…wake up…" Cain heard her moan a little. At the sound he wasn't able to stop himself from placing small kisses on her neck, her jawbone.

Sophia woke with a sigh of contentment. Her eyes were still closed but she didn't really want to wake fully; she felt warm and someone was placing pleasant little kisses a long her neck. Sophia opened her eyes and was relieved to see Cain. She wasn't use to waking up next to man; she especially wasn't a custom to waking up with a man kissing her. "Cain…you're alright, think god…" she was cut off when Cain kissed her fully on the lips.

The kiss took her attention. Cain drew her lower lip into his month and gently sucked on it before he swept his tough into her month to mate with hers. Sophia was the sweetest thing he very tasted. He heard her whimper; oh how he wanted her. Cain's grip around Sophia shoulders tighten and pulled her even closer to him. He felt her breasts flatten against his chest and his hardness press into her leg. Cain felt her nipples harden against his chest. He had to break from the kiss and low growled escaped from his lips at feeling Sophia touching him. It was Heaven. He kept his eyes closed while he enjoyed the feeling of her satin skin. "Cain…."

He opened his eyes at the panic he heard in her voice. Cain looked down at Sophia and saw her wide eyes looking at him with confusion and fear mingled together with want. "Wyatt, call me by my name for now on Sophia." Cain correct while his hand came up and was lightly caressing cheek. He'd forgotten that she was innocent and he would need to slow down. He felt torn; he knew he shouldn't take her here, not when Glitch could return at any time but the desire to touch her was too great. He wanted to claim her.

Never had anything felt so wonderful to Sophia. The sensation of their skin together was almost overwhelming. Cain's skin was warm and hard, she could see his muscles in his arms and shoulders. He was a very fit man. "Wyatt…I've never been close to a person…man like this….." She saw Cain smile, she was nerves and Sophia wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to stop him from touching her but at the same time Sophia didn't want to lead too…. "Maybe we should stop while we're still a head. We can't let this go too far. We need to save DG and I don't know where Glitch is but he could back anytime…."

Cain smiled at Sophia as he claimed her lips in another kiss. Sophia moaned when he deepened the kiss. She raped her arms around Cain neck and didn't even notice that he had laid her on her back until Cain came to lie on top of her. She pulled away from the kiss tried to still herself; the sensations that Cain was invoking was too much too fast. She was confused; yes she wanted to slow everything down but at the same time she needed, craved, his touch.

Cain saw the emotions fly across her face. He would never have to worry about what she was thinking; Sophia wore her mind on her sleeve. "Don't worry…this won't get out of hand, I just couldn't have you so close and not touch you…" He kissed her forehead, the bridge of her nose before moving to her lips for another steering kiss.

While continuing to kiss Sophia, Cain pushed her legs farther apart so he could lie between them. When he came on top of her; Cain braced himself on his arms so his weight wouldn't crush her. He deliberately placed his hardness against Sophia's warm center. Cain could feel the heat of her even though the fabric of her underclothes. Sophia gasped and pulled away from the kiss at the contact; her hips automatically rolled into Cain, seeking out more contact. He grounded his teeth together when Sophia pressed against him.

"Sophia…" Her name sounded like a pray from his lips. Cain took hold of her hips to still her when she continued press against him. "Easy now...You're going to be mine but if you keep that up..." It took everything Sophia had not to move; she moved her hands to her side and tried to take hold of the carpet to steady her. She hadn't been able to stop herself when she felt Cain against her; it seemed natural. The way Cain was kissing her and the feel of him on top of her. It was irresistible; she knew that they should stop now but Sophia craved more of his touch. On its own accord one of her hands left the floor and reached up to touch Cain's should, traced along his collarbone and down his chest.

The woman was going to be the death of him. Her light touch made him feel like there was fire running in his veins. He needed to stop this now, he was enjoying this too much. "Soph…you really know how to tempt a man." Cain put his hand on top of hers to stop it from moving. He was going to move in for another kiss before he suggested that they started to get dressed but he felt Sophia tense and her eyes too on a faraway look. "What's wrong?"

"Glitch….he's back…." They didn't even have time to move before the door opened and Glitch started to walk in carrying the firewood. He was muttering about the cold and at first didn't seem to notice the couple on the floor. Glitch sat the firewood by the stove and was getting to sit down; he stopped when he saw Cain and Sophia. Glitch quickly looked up so not to stare at the scene in front of him. "I didn't find any sign of Raw…" he said just trying to say thing the fill the dead air.

"Glitch…"

"Yes Cain."

"Go look again. Come back in five minutes."

"What a good idea." Glitch said as he all but ran out the door.


	12. Memories

I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. Please forgive my spelling and grammar, I'm really trying to work on it and hope it shows. I would also like to just say, THANK YOU to everyone who have reviewed and/or added my story to their alerts.

Chapter Eleven: Memories

At the sound of the door closing Cain let his head fall to Sophia's forehead to rest. His eyes were closed and he couldn't help groan of frustration. "Remind me later to shoot Glitch." He took another deep breath to attempt to clam himself. Part of him knew to be thankful for Glitch's unwanted interruption; they needed to start moving but damn Sophia felt good under him.

He lifted his head up to make sure she was still alive. Since she warned Glitch was on the other side of the door Sophia hadn't moved or made a single sound. He had to fight from laughing. To say that Sophia looked embarrassed would have been an understatement. She was so red Cain thought she might of have been in danger of bursting into flames. Her eyes were closed and she had a look on her face that made him think if she could click her heels and wish herself anywhere else; she would have. Cain couldn't resist giving her one finale kiss before he started to get up from the floor. "Hiding won't do you any good. Get moving, get dressed. We need to start out to Azkadellia's tower."

Sophia felt Cain move away from her. She knew that playing possum wasn't going to work; the man was right they need to start moving. She would just have to get over her humiliation. In away, she was thankful that Cain was on top of her when Glitch walked in; at least he hadn't seem her….Sophia's eyes snapped open with the realization that she only in she underwear… and alone with Cain.

She quickly grabbed the forgotten blanket to cover her self and started to get up to find her clothes. She stopped half way up from the floor watching as Cain moved around the wagon. The fact that he was a bear as the day he was born didn't seem to bother him at all. She should be ashamed of herself, a few passionate...very passionate kisses… and now she couldn't bring herself to stop ogling him. The man was pure perfection; she could see the defined muscles in his back and firm backside. Yes, feeling ashamed would be a good start but she couldn't.

The trance Sophia was in seemed to partly break as Cain put his pants on and turned around. "Sophia, there is a time and place for giving a man that look….now would not be one." Her head all but snapped up to look him in the eye pulling her from thoughts. "Right sorry…" Cain smiled at the sound of her voice. He knew she was trying to not let her emotions show but was failing miserably. Unfortunately, they didn't have the time he wanted now. Cain picked her clothes from the floor and tossed them over to Sophia, thinking best to keep from the lure she had. They landed with a thud on the floor while he continued to get dressed.

"You couldn't just hand them to me?"

"Soph, a man can only take so much." Cain responded while he finished buttoning his shirt, "If I were to walk over there right now, in your current…state…I could not, better yet, I would not resist the temptation you present." Sophia watched as he tucked the shirt into his pants and tightens his belt. She noticed that his movements were unhurried as be bent over to put his shoes and socks on; his voice was cool and relaxed to match. "I would pull that blanket away, which you wrongly believe is shielding you, and have you up against wall before you knew what was happening. I would take my time savoring the feel of skin under my hands, reveling in very sound, very moan you'd make for me…before..."

She opened her mouth to respond but thought better of it. Sophia right now couldn't trust her voice to save her life. All she could do was look down and hoped that Cain wouldn't know how his words were affecting her. It was suddenly to warm in the wagon. She thought the best idea in the world would be to go and make snow angels while she was still only in she underwear; just in the hopes that it cooled her off. She gathered as much nerve as she could muster and forced her head back up to look at Cain.

Cain finished getting dress and was putting his hat and duster on. "I'm done fighting myself, trying to keep my distance from you. Consider this a 'To Be Continued' until later. I'm going to find Glitch, get you clothes on and try to find something warmer to wear. We're heading out the moment you walk out this door." Cain walked out the door letting his words hanging in the air. For a brief moment all Sophia could so was stand there. With everything that had happened the only coherent question she had was how long was it to 'until later'?

The Sorceress Tower:

The Mystic Man knew he didn't have much longer to live. He was able to keep Azkadellia's viewer from seeing into his mind and knew that the magic shielding DG memories would keep her safe for now. All there was to do now was wait. Sooner or later the witch would bring DG to him, in hopes of hearing the where the emerald was. He would deliver his final message for his Queen to DG and then embrace the adventure that the after would bring. He only wished that he'd got to see his Sophia one more time in this world.

He had some many questions he wanted to ask her. Did she have a happy childhood? Did she hate him for sending her to the Other Side? Was her gift of sight as clear as her mothers? Did she remember her mother? Well she would soon… He was pulled from his thoughts as DG was put into the cell across from him. He waited until the guards had left before he spoke.

"I have a theory which can't be unproven…It is called The Or Not Theory." He said to her gaining DG's attention. "Mystic Man you're live! Oh, I have so much to tell you." He could hear how relieved she was to have someone she recognized but he needed her to focus. "Ahaha…You know they wouldn't put you in a cell near mine unless they wanted to hear us talk" he warned. He watched as realization came to DG, "She's listening…" he heard her wispier. "First you must journey to the north, or not."

"Yes, I journeyed to the north. I went the ice palace and I know who my mother is. Are you sure you're not still on the vapors?" She was confused it was easy enough for him to see but she was following his lead. He saw her month, "What are we doing?"

He couldn't answer her last question. All he could do is keep DG clam, and hope that most of what he said sounded like mad ramblings that the witch would disregard. "I have never been clearer in my whole life. It's coming back to me. My troubled childhood. A rich life of scholarly pursuit. My brief but glamorous life in show business, although that part is a little bit hazy."

He could see that his continuing to talk was at least putting the child in some ease. The Mystic Man could see DG's small smile. While he was letting DG process everything the whole block seem to vibrate and he could hear the machine loud hum. It served as a reminder of his mission. "Did you feel that? They're testing a machine."

"What sort of machine?"

"The complete destruction of the O.Z." He saw realization dawn on DG's face. "Is that why she needs the emerald?" He couldn't let her ask questions about the stone, it was too dangerous. He wordless mouthed to her not to talk about the emerald. She was back to looking confused. "Okay…what are we going to do?" He felt a little defeated that he couldn't even answer one question for her but he had his orders. "There so much I would like to tell you…but Azkadellia's eyes and ears are all over us now."

He could see DG's look of determination, she looked just like her mother. "Okay. Tell me what you know about the Gray Gale." He couldn't help his smile or the laugh that followed. DG was on the right track. "The Gray Gale is a myth. Vamped up by the ancients to entertain their children." He said this rather loudly so the witch would know that he wouldn't be giving any direct information. "You know…" he head DG say bring his attention back to her.

"This is starting to get a little frustrating. I can't ask you any questions and you can't answer. I wish Sophia was here, she'd know how handle everything and know what to ask. She always knew what to do." She seem like a lost child to the Mystic Man, she made him miss his daughter even more. "I'm sorry Princess. I want very much to tell you everything but there are reasons why I can't…I would have very much liked to see my daughter again…"

DG could plainly see the sadness in his face. She didn't understand why all this mess was happening but she could understand a person wanting their loved ones back. "She always been strong and kept me…mostly out of trouble. I couldn't have picked a better big sister myself." He smiled a little at her words trying to comfort him. His comfort would have to wait, the witch would surely be here soon and he still needed to give his message. "What I can tell you is that your mother cloaked your memories and Sophia's in magic; so that Azkadellia cannot get to them."

"Great, the only thing is anther can I."

"Yes you can." The Mystic Man tried to reassure her.

"You know my mother was really good with the To Do List but wasn't with the How To Do List". DG replied. "She said you must unlock you memories. Your light must brighten a place that is dark, in the South. That's where you'll find a message about your future and your past." It was final done, he just had to wait now and hope that his beautiful wife was correct all those years ago and he would her in the afterlife.

His wait wasn't long at all; no sooner had he delivered his message before the witch herself came into the holding cell. "So eager to please the wrong sister." Azkadellia said as she entered the cell. "Azkadellia, as I live and breathe…so far." He laughed he would not give her the pleasure of showing any signs of fear. "I don't know which is more pathetic; you on the vapors or off."

"Your sister is more powerful then you and with Sophia's help you will be stopped." He taunted. "She will never be as powerful as me. As for your daughter if she isn't already dead she'll be joining you soon enough." The Mystic Man laughed in her face again, "Then why are you so scared?"

His snidest pushed Azkadellia's anger over the edge. She brought her hand up to the side of his face so she could pull The Mystic Man's life force from his body. "I know you witch." This almost made the witch stop but it didn't matter if he knew who she really was he'd be dead before he could tell anyone her identity. "What do you know?"

The Mystic Man felt the life being drawn out of him as his soul step away from his body. His wife was right after all, he could see the light and hear her sweet voice calling his name. He knew that he should go to her now but he want to see his Sophia one more time and free her memories.


End file.
